Forgotten Promise
by Seigetsu Ren
Summary: AU, sequel to Another Promise. Happiness doesn't last forever, something that Motoko has sadly come to understand. An unfortunate accident tears her husband's memories away, memories that he shared with her. MotKei
1. Prologue

Motoko Aoyama: Hi there! New story, well sort of, because it is the sequel to "Another Promise" This new fic would talk about Motoko and Keitaro's married life, especially when they face the new obstacles in their way. Enough said, please enjoy!

Background: Motoko and Keitaro are married, and live a peaceful life at Hinatasou with their son, Kenichi. However, their lives are about to change when Naru and Kenjiro, along with their daughter Yuri, returns to Hinatasou to obtain Motoko's sakabatou, which is Kenjiro's heirloom. Not only are these un-welcomed guests causing a great deal of havoc, but also an unfortunate accident is waiting to shatter the happiness of our beloved kanrinrin and swordswoman...

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina or any other anime from which I borrowed characters, and/or ideas. I do own several minor characters who appears from time to time, so please don't steal them (although I'm sure no one wants them, sigh)

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Prologue

Darkness had been her refuge since the day she was born. In the stillness of the night, no one could recognise the difference between her and the others, no one could distinguish her cries from the joyous cries of children. She could sit in the shadows of the great maples, letting the ominous moonlight cast on her countenance as she tried to smile despite the tears that continued to run with each blink of her eyes, only to become trapped in a maze of sadness, unable to escape.

There was no escape. She would never lead a life like any other, because she was Himura Yuri, the daughter of two broken hearts that had come together to mend each other's wounds, but failed miserably as they found their past replaying and replaying, becoming more and more detailed, with each rising sun.

The cruel autumn winds swept the poor child, sending a handful of fallen leaves battering on her face, but she merely closed her eyes, allowing the pain wash over her fallen soul. Her chapped lips curled upwards in what resembled a smile, a bitter but true smile that revealed her inner emotions. She was intoxicated by the feeling of loneliness, engrossed in watching the deep violet ceiling swirl above her. This was her safe haven; away from the sounds of an ever-lasting commotion between the two people she loved above all, the two people who never returned her affections.

Many a time she had asked herself this question. Did she do something wrong? She must have, for there was no other way to explain her parents' indifference to each other, let alone their frosty attitude towards her. But no matter how hard she tried to find that mistake, she couldn't. From the very beginning, Yuri had been absolutely obedient, completing every task she was given without the slightest bit of hesitation, without a single word of question. At the young age of three, she had taken care of herself in every aspect, never asking for help, never asking for company. Yet, all she obtained in return were the horrid images of fighting that polluted her innocent blue eyes, the lengthy silences separated by heated arguments that made her wish she was deaf. Why? Why did this have to happen to her? What mistake had she made?

All of a sudden, the soft sounds of treading disrupted the rhythmic howls of the wind, awakening Yuri from her deep trance. As she reluctantly opened her swollen eyes, the blurry outlines of a familiar figure appeared in her vision.

" Let's go home, Yuri," a low voice spoke in an emotionless tone.

Yuri got up and mindlessly followed the man, down the silent hills and tall forests to the ancient dojo that rested on the foot of the mountains. The journey was completely tranquil, safe for the slight ringing of bells that dangled from the hilt of the man's katana, marking each of his sober steps. Heat returned to Yuri's numb body as she entered the building that she was led to, and following the man, she came to a room, her own room.

The man pushed the door open, revealing an empty bag on the ground. Yuri was surprised. What is happening? What is this all about?

" Go pack your belongings. We're leaving tomorrow," the man spoke in a cold tone before leaving the little girl dazed at the doorway.

She just wanted to ask...

Where?

Motoko Aoyama: Well, that was a bit short, and none of the main characters have made their appearance yet, but this is the prologue and it is supposed to be like that! So, sorry if I made you mad by writing so little, but hopefully you enjoyed it! Please show your support by giving me comments through the review systems. Like always, constructive criticism is more than welcome, a note stating you are actually reading this is also appreciated, but please NO FLAMES! If you don't like my work, ignore it! There are tons of other stories around so leave mine alone! Arigatou for reading! See you next week!


	2. Olden Paths

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for your support! Please continue to read and review this story! Well, since I have quite a lot of work to do today, I'm going to cut this short!

Disclaimer: I don't own LH! I'm not a man called Ken Akamatsu!

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 1

It was autumn. The once lush, green trees were set ablaze by fiery shades of red, orange and yellow, its thick canopies falling apart as the leaves drifted silently onto the ground, exposing the sturdy branches of what remained of the towering woods. Rain often showered upon the small town of Hinata Springs, giving a fresh, moist scent to the increasingly cold air. The larks cried in the skies as they flew in great formations, moving closer to the distant south with each repetition of their never-ending pattern. Yes, this was autumn. Years have passed, but the nature of this season had not changed the slightest bit. The only change were the different faces wandering along the neatly paved roads of stone, carving out different memories into their different lives.

On such a calm, ordinary day of this season, a young woman dressed in a simple kendo outfit could be seen walking to the outskirts of the town, carrying two bags of groceries in her strong hands. Her raven locks shifted from side to side with the rhythm of the autumn breeze, swaying with a gentle tempo as she treaded easily along the olden paths. She came to a halt in front of an ancient shack at the bottom of a great hill, raising her head to glance upon a wooden sign that moved slightly with the wind. The neat swirls of fading ink clung stubbornly onto the rotting plaque, spelling out the kanji letters that read "Hinata Tea House"

" Irasshaimase!" a loud voice emitted from the inside of the shop. The woman turned to face the newcomer with short blonde hair and narrow, mischievous eyes.

" You look disappointed, Kitsune. Were you expecting another unfortunate customer, or were you waiting for another of your dates?" the woman questioned.

" Oh whatever, Motoko. Come in and have a drink!" Kitsune answered.

" Right, and then you'll charge me 10000 yen for a cup of your famous diluted tea that contains three specks of so-called tea leaves floating around a mixture of completely clear liquid," Motoko stated in an irritated tone.

" Stop being so cheap there, Motoko, just come in and have a chat with me! Ever since Haruka, Shinobu, Su and Akiko left I've been so bored down here alone!" Kitsune exclaimed, pulling Motoko into the aging shop. The swordswoman sighed as she took a seat on the cold benches smooth from the wear of all those years. Staring at the familiar surroundings, she reminisced the days that had passed by since she had come here. So much seemed to have changed, and yet everything around her was still the same.

" Strangely, everything is still in its place, but so much have disappeared from our lives without a single trace. Haruka and Seta have married, and together with Sara they now travel the world for ancient artefacts. Su has returned to her own country after graduating from high school to establish the electronics company of her dreams. As for Shinobu, she too has left us to pursuit her cooking studies in France. Even Akiko had to return to Kyoto to take care of the family dojo in my place. Although they still phone and write to us, occasionally dropping by to make a visit, nothing will ever be the same again..." Motoko spoke.

" Of course nothing will be the same again, otherwise our lives would be a boring repetition like the migration cycles of those noisy larks! Isn't it better this way? You now have Keitaro by your side, doing all the chores around the inn, and cute little Kenichi following you around wherever you go! A perfect husband, a perfect son, a perfect life! What more can you ask for?" Kitsune replied.

" Perhaps, but I do wonder about the others from time to time. By the way, have you heard from Naru recently?" Motoko asked.

" Not a word. She hasn't kept in contact with me since she left six years ago," Kitsune answered.

" I see. I hadn't even the chance to say farewell to her," Motoko said, rising from the bench.

" Where are you going, Motoko? You owe me 3000 yen!" Kitsune yelled after the departing swordswoman.

" What for?" she questioned.

" For sitting here! I do pay rent to your husband, you know!" Kitsune yelled.

Motoko turned around, and with a flick of her sleeves, she sent three coins speeding towards Kitsune, hitting her square in the face.

" Three yen is all you get," Motoko answered monotonously as she disappeared from Kitsune's vision.

The hill was so high, the steps so long as if it reached the domains of infinity. Each step was half her height, and all Yuri could do was to leap with all her strength in hopes of catching up to her parents above. Soon, they were so far away that she lost sight of them; her final guide was the ringing of the bells on her father's katana.

" Do you need some help, child?" a woman asked from behind her. She turned to stare into the dark eyes of a woman dressed in the white gi and red hakama of kendo practicers. Help? What a strange word that had been unknown to her for all her life! She had never heard of this word being spoken from the lips of any adult, but here in front of her was a stranger who offered her, help!

" I...I..." Yuri stuttered, not knowing what to say. She gave up as she simply nodded and took the woman's rough, yet gentle hand. The woman swung the child up her back with tremendous strength and securing her hands on the child's legs, she quickly continued her ascent up the stairs with great grace.

" My name is Motoko. Aoyama Motoko. What's your name, little girl?" the woman spoke to the child on her back.

" Yuri. Himura Yuri," the child answered.

Both of them seemed to pause for a second as they repeated each other's name in their minds. So familiar, so nostalgic. They have not met before, but they have certainly heard of the name some time ago.

" My name is Himura Kenjiro. Nice to meet you!"

" All you think about is that Motoko! Yes, that Aoyama Motoko who had stolen the most precious thing in my life!"

" Is it possible..." Motoko wondered.

" That she is..." Yuri questioned.

The top of the stairs. Their train of thought was stopped abruptly as they came to the top of the stairs where the mist cleared, not to reveal the glory of Hinatasou, but a fallen woman and a savage man holding a young boy in his grasp.

" Give me the sakabatou in your hands!"

Motoko Aoyama: Yay! My favourite kendo girl Motoko has made her appearance! What's more is that she met up with Naru's daughter Yuri! Please leave some comments behind, be it constructive criticism or just a word saying that you've read this story! Next Chapter: Motoko meets Kenjiro and Naru! Big battle coming up!


	3. Sakabatou

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for your support, people! Sorry for the widespread confusion of the last chapter, I hope that this chapter would clear some things up. If not, then just tell me and I'll try to answer any questions you have! Special thanks to Shadic the Hedgehog Author for pointing out that Motoko's surname should now be Urashima, but I guess for now I'll keep it Aoyama to avoid further confusion. As for Shadow00X's comment about "Irasshaimase," this is a Japanese word meaning "welcome." Kitsune said that in the last chapter because she thought that a customer was coming to the teahouse. I'll make sure that I'll include a glossary of Japanese terms I use in the future.

Disclaimer: Please don't sue me! I don't own Love Hina!

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 2

Those familiar big brown eyes and neat black hair was enough to send anger and frustration rushing into the mind of Himura Kenjiro, let alone the fact that such a weakling as the little boy was holding his priced heirloom, the great sakabatou of the Hitokiri Battousai. Despite his wife's warning, he had grasped onto the three-year-old and held him in mid-air, trying to yank the sword away from his grasp, but to his surprise, the boy was not willing to give in, holding onto the blade as if holding onto his own life.

" Like father, like son," Kenjiro commented as he tightened his grip on the boy's shirt, nearly tearing it apart. The boy was struggling to breathe, but remained calm and determined, not saying a word to intimidate Kenjiro, nor to plead for his life. He merely gripped onto his mother's sword, not letting the intruder take it away from him.

" Just like that Urashima Keitaro, you are as stubborn and stupid as a cow!" Kenjiro snarled, tossing the boy onto the ground. The impact was too much for the child as he finally lost hold of the sword that clashed onto the ground along with him. Trying his best to crawl towards the fallen blade, he was met by Kenjiro's foot that sent him sprawling on the cool earth meters away. The swordsman was smiling wickedly as he bent down to pick up his rightful possession, but just as his fingers were about to touch the dark sheath, they were met by several speeding coins that nearly broke the bones in his hand.

Kenjiro's other hand dodged for the hilt of the sword, but the newcomer kicked it towards the little boy before he could reach for it. Looking up, he saw the person he had dreamed of each night, the person who he could never forget, the person that brought him here in the first place, Aoyama Motoko.

" Pay attention to the battle," Motoko spoke, hurling a punch at the dazed man in front of her. He backed just in time to evade it, but had not enough seconds to draw his katana as Motoko sent a forceful kick towards his chest. Moving to the side, he drew the katana in a Battou Jutsu, inches from slicing the swordswoman who had leapt above the blade. Just then, the child threw the sakabatou in their direction, and before Kenjiro could react, Motoko, who was already in mid-air, caught the blade gracefully with a neat somersault.

" You've always wanted the sakabatou, and the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, don't you, Kenjiro?" Motoko asked. Kenjiro didn't answer as he gripped his katana firmly with both hands, waiting for Motoko's attack to come. Motoko smiled as she ran forward, looking straight at the eyes of her opponent. He tightened his grip further, his eyes meeting hers as she approached. The sakabatou was still in its sheath as their distance diminished quickly.

" Yes," Kenjiro thought as a trickle of sweat dripped down his forehead, "I just need to dodge the Battou Jutsu and then the battle would be over."

At lightning speed, the blurry length of Motoko's weapon shot for Kenjiro's shoulder. He saw it! He anticipated it coming! Summoning his strength, he raised his katana to block the attack.

" I did it," Kenjiro whispered as he heard the impact of his katana on Motoko's weapon. Just as he lifted his sword up to deal the last blow, a cold metal blade struck him on his back. He didn't understand! He had blocked the sakabatou! How did Motoko manage to swirl behind him and deal the final strike in such a short amount of time?

Kenjiro fell to the ground. Motoko was behind him, with the sheath of the sakabatou in her left hand, the actual blade in her right.

" This is the Sou Ryu Sen – Ikazuchi of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. The Battou Jutsu you had blocked was merely a distraction created by the sheath so that you would not expect the actual blade to follow and deal the final blow. If I had used the Hina Blade, or any ordinary katana other than the sakabatou, I would have taken your life with that strike," Motoko explained, placing the reverse-edged blade back into its sheath.

" Okaasan!" the little boy cried as he ran towards his victorious mother. Motoko bent down to hug him, stroking his hair gently to comfort her frightened son.

" Gomen ne, Kenichi. I arrived late," Motoko whispered in a soothing tone. Yuri, who Motoko had left on the top of the great steps leading to Hinatasou, watched as the great swordswoman embraced the little boy. She had always thought that maybe her father was cold towards her because he was a great swordsman; too serious to show any compassion, but the scene she was watching proved her theory to be wrong. Even as her mother and she rushed towards her fallen father, he merely struggled to stand and waved off the help they had offered. Kenjiro glared at Motoko and Kenichi with envious eyes. Why was Keitaro the one to enjoy such a wonderful family? Why not him?

" I will not give up that easily, Motoko," Kenjiro shouted. Motoko got up and turned towards him, staring at him with kind eyes.

" You are welcome to stay and challenge me every day until you can take the sakabatou from my hands," Motoko said with a smile, leading Kenichi into the inn.

Kenjiro, Yuri, and his wife Naru who had been silent all along merely stared at her as she disappeared into Hinatasou, unable to comprehend her sudden kindness. The Motoko they had known would undoubtedly send a Zankuusen at all of them that would blast them back to the Kamiya Dojo, but this Motoko was different. Why? Why did she change so much over just six years?

Just as Motoko led Kenichi up the stairs to his room, he turned and glanced up at his mother who was calm and reserved as always. He enjoyed looking up to his mother like this, feeling that one day he would be able to inherit her tremendous strength and wisdom.

" Okaasan, I have a question," Kenichi finally spoke up. Motoko turned to meet his curious eyes with her own.

" What is it?" she asked.

" I don't understand why you told those strange people to stay with us. That man nearly killed me," Kenichi said.

" His name is Himura Kenjiro. He is not a bad man, trust me," Motoko answered.

" Himura? Isn't that the surname of the Hitokiri Battousai? The original owner of the sakabatou?" Kenichi asked.

" Yes. Kenjiro is the descendent of the Hitokiri Battousai, and the rightful owner of the sakabatou. Kenjiro's father had left me the sword and the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu because Kenjiro isn't ready for it yet, so I hold the responsibility to pass them to him when the time is right," Motoko explained.

Kenichi didn't understand. He merely nodded, hoping his happy days would not vanish into the unknown distance of the future.

Motoko Aoyama: Okay, since I'm currently super busy, I won't write much for the author's note. Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment behind, be it constructive criticism or just a note to say you are reading, but DON'T FLAME! Yes, I guess that's all! Next Chapter: What really happened between Naru and Kenjiro? A speech between the two antagonists!


	4. Hidden Truth

Motoko Aoyama: Sorry for the late update, I haven't been in much of a mood to write...anyway, please be so kind as to read and review this chapter, because I really need some fuel to keep me writing! Please support a poor fanfic writer like me...I'm on my knees begging you once more! Well, enough of my rant, here is the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina...as if anyone would think I own it...sigh

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 3

" You must be happy to stay here with your beloved Motoko, my dear husband," Naru commented in sarcasm as she talked to Kenjiro who was looking out of their bedroom window into the Hinata night sky. He didn't turn the slightest bit as he continued his gaze, noticing the slight drizzle that fell softly upon the red maples in the distance. It was just like the night he had last seen Motoko, the night she had held Keitaro in her arms, trusting her future to that unworthy man.

" And yet you agreed to come, because of him, that unworthy man Urashima," Kenjiro sharply pointed out. Naru looked away in anger, her hair hiding her expression from her husband. She wasn't entirely angered by Kenjiro, but rather at herself, at her past. Losing Keitaro was too much for her, losing Motoko was too much for him, and that brought them to make a foolish wish to heal each other's common wounds, a foolish wish that was destined to never come true. They had thought that they were alike for experiencing the same pain of betrayal, they had thought that because of this their love would be blessed by the sympathetic God, so they had spent nights together, only to make a dreadful mistake. The birth of Yuri didn't heal their deep scars, it just gave them a heavier burden to carry, making them cringe in frustration upon gazing at the strange blue eyes of their child.

" If not for Yuri, I wouldn't have stayed with you and follow your foolish desires of taking that sakabatou, which obviously is an excuse for you to follow Motoko around," Naru snapped back.

" Stop using Yuri as your excuse, Naru. You too just want to see that man. Do you think I'm a fool? I know your desires too," Kenjiro merely returned a remark before getting into the futon.

" Do you really think I'm using Yuri as an excuse? You and I know all too well that we have made a big mistake in trusting our lives in each other's hands, and we're only continuing this mistake for the sake of Yuri!" Naru replied, crawling into her own futon.

" Yuri...she was a mistake that should never have happened," Kenjiro said in a softer tone, finally agreeing with Naru for once. Little did the two know that that pair of blue eyes were watching them from a crack in the sliding doors of the room, a pair of eyes that were clouded with confusion, stained by painful teardrops. Motoko came upon the child and placed a hand upon her shoulder, warmth radiating into the saddened soul.

" Want to have a soak in the hot springs, Yuri? It is really nice out there at night," Motoko said. Yuri was stunned to hear the swordswoman speak to her. This stranger hardly knew anything about her, yet she didn't ask, didn't make her tell a story she would rather forget. She just stood by her side, giving her comfort without asking for anything in return.

Again, all Yuri could do was to nod, and then grasp onto Motoko's hand, which led her out into the hot springs. In Motoko's other hand were two towels, one presumably for herself, and the other for Yuri. Never had Naru or Kenjiro bring along spare towels for their daughter, yet this woman again, this stranger who her mother hated so passionately, was always thinking about her, caring for her.

Wrapping themselves in their towels, Motoko and Yuri walked out into the hot springs area. The autumn breeze was cold as it whipped past their bare skin, Yuri shuddering unconsciously in response, but the steam rising from the springs soon gave them a feeling of warmth, and security. Dipping her feet into the water, Yuri felt drawn to the rising heat, wishing to remain in it forever. Yes, this was the security that Yuri had felt. It seemed like the water could embrace her forever, giving her the comfort she had longed for each night she cried under the swaying maples in the fields back home.

No, not back home, back there, the Kamiya Dojo. This was now her home, Hinatasou, her new home.

Motoko too had slipped into the hot springs and was soaking her tired limbs in the warm waters. It had been quite an exhausting fight with Kenjiro although she had turned out victorious, as the previous peace of Hinatasou made it unnecessary for Motoko to battle. Motoko started to rethink her decision of allowing Kenjiro and his family to stay here, knowing that their arrival would bring another wave of events occurring here in the ancient inn. If only Keitaro was home, he would be able to decide for her, but he had to be away on an excavation of dragon remains in Kyoto during this crucial time!

Then, the swordswoman's gaze landed on the child beside her. Yuri, Himura Yuri, the daughter of Naru and Kenjiro. Maybe she had made the right decision to let them stay, because not only did she have the obligation to help Kenjiro gain the strength to wield the sakabatou, but also she had a feeling that this child never experienced something as simple as family. Naru and Kenjiro must have despised her, such a pitiful young thing.

" Okaasan!" a voice cried from the inn. In an instant, Kenichi burst into the hot springs area and stared wide-eyed at his mother and the newcomer wrapped in a wet towel. Yuri flushed with anger and embarrassment, and then she stepped out of the springs and landed a forceful punch at Kenichi that sent him flying into the distance.

Motoko's jaws dropped wide open as she stared at her son soaring in the night sky. Realising what she had done, Yuri quickly apologized again and again and again. Motoko merely smiled at Yuri.

" Don't worry about it, he'll survive. Your mother and I used to send my husband into lower earth orbit too whenever he started peeking at us in the hot springs," Motoko said with a smile. Yuri just blinked at her response. The serious swordswoman in front of her would do something as foolish as what she did?

As Kenichi began to fall from the sky, he saw a man with blood smeared on his face. In a few seconds, he landed on the man and knocked him out, but soon the man gained consciousness again and rose to his feet, lifting Kenichi up with him.

" Did you just get punished by your mother, Kenichi? You should be more careful with women, especially her," the man spoke.

Kenichi didn't answer as he gazed at the blood that was still gushing out of the man's head. He looked away in disgust.

" You should stop lecturing me and learn to drive properly, otousan," Kenichi replied.

Motoko Aoyama: Well, hope you liked it! Yay, Keitaro is back so this story is going to pick up some pace soon! Please review, be it constructive criticism, comments and questions, or just a note saying that you have read it. Anything other than flames is appreciated! Thanks for reading and hope you have a nice day! Next Chapter: Kenichi and Yuri learns more about each other, and Keitaro seems to have picked up a very interesting sword for Motoko in Kyoto!


	5. Friendship

Motoko Aoyama: Hihi! Me back again! I'm so happy to receive such kind comments from all of you, and also, I'm happy to say that I'm in an extremely good mood since all my marks came out, they were all decent, and now I'm on a short holiday too! Well, so what does this mean? Apart from this update, I'll also write a little spring special for this series, which I hope would be done and posted up in the near future. Now, let me thank all my reviewers!

**Dust-in** - thanks for reading my story! As for the sword...you'll find out about it very soon!

**FormoriCompletion** - thanks for reading my story as well! I'll try to make my chapters a bit longer if I have time. Thanks for your suggestion!

**NomadicOne** - thanks for liking my story! I hope to write a bit more about Yuri/Kenichi and Naru's marriage soon!

**Wonderbee31** - thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!

**Innortal** - thanks for reading! Hope you liked it as well!

Disclaimer: Here, I'm done my rant. I don't own Love Hina, everyone should know that...

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 4

Motoko and Yuri had gotten dressed and were about to exit the inn to find Kenichi when they stopped at the living area near the front door. On the old red sofa kneeled Kenichi who was holding a long stretch of pale white gauze in his young hands. Beside him was a man with messy brown hair, slightly stained by the browning blood that had gushed out of a fresh wound in his head. Yuri was stunned at the sight, but when she turned to look at Motoko, all she saw was a sighing swordswoman watching on as if it was an everyday matter. Yes, this was a common sight around Hinatasou whenever their loving kanrinrin was around; his clumsiness always led to him getting into some sort of painful situation, sometimes making him end up losing a pool of blood, or breaking a bone or two, but all knew he would survive, since his love for the inn and all its residents would give him immortality.

" Okaerinasai," Motoko greeted calmly. The kanrinrin turned and flashed them one of his great, big smiles. Kenichi quickly turned Keitaro's head towards him once more in order to finish bandaging the wounds, shooting him a warning glare as if to tell him to mind his behaviour.

" This is..." Yuri couldn't help but ask. He was such a strange man, smiling and all when a big wound in his head continually leaked blood out of his veins. The strangest thing was that Motoko and Kenichi didn't seem to be worried about the injury at all!

" Urashima Keitaro, my oyaji, also the kanrinrin of this inn. He has a bad habit of crashing his van around on his way home from excavations, so this is nothing unusual," Kenichi pointed out in a matter of fact manner.

" Hi! Welcome to Hinatasou!" Keitaro greeted and beamed at the young girl, making Kenichi furious as he jolted Keitaro's head back into the right position.

" Can you stop moving? At this rate I won't be finished dressing your wounds when the sun rises!" Kenichi yelled.

" Leave it to me, Kenichi. Can you please take Yuri around the inn and clean up a room for her to stay in?" Motoko said as she took a seat on the sofa and began to tend to Keitaro's wound. Kenichi gave a discontented growl in response, but did as he was told, taking Yuri upstairs.

Yuri was silent as Kenichi took her around the inn, describing their surroundings monotonously. By his visage, Yuri could tell that he was in a very annoyed mood having to take the person who had blasted him into lower earth orbit on a tour of his home. However, when Yuri's sad gaze landed on his countenance, he turned to meet her eyes with his, letting his sight bath in the soothing blue orbs in front of him. His expression softened, toning down to an almost gentle look, and without hesitation, Kenichi swept Yuri's hand in his and led her along the halls once more until they came to a dark, ancient staircase.

" Where does it lead to?" Yuri asked timidly.

" The roof. It's cold outside at night during autumn and winter, so I might as well bring you up there tomorrow morning. I have to practise kendo anyway," Kenichi replied in a rough tone. Yuri smiled. She knew that his coarseness was different from that of his father. She couldn't define the difference yet, but all she knew was that being beside Kenichi felt so much better.

" It's getting late. Let's get you a room," Kenichi said, yanking on Yuri's hand to get her to start moving. Yuri reluctantly followed his lead although she hoped that their journey towards her new room would never end. She didn't want to feel the coldness of loneliness once more! She was no longer engrossed in that feeling, because she found a slight bit of happiness with her newfound companions today, and she wasn't ready to let go of its comfort.

" This room seems nice. Let's go in," Kenichi said as he placed his hand on a pair of sliding doors, ready to open them.

Yuri placed her hand on Kenichi's, not allowing him to push open the door. Kenichi eyed Yuri suspiciously, exerting more force on the door, but Yuri didn't let go, didn't let him expose the interior of the chamber. Kenichi stared blankly at the little girl whose eyes seemed to become slightly watery again, and finally he sighed.

" What do you want then, girl?" Kenichi asked.

Yuri didn't answer. She merely held onto Kenichi's hand a little tighter.

" You must be afraid of the dark. Fine, you can take your futon to my room for tonight, but only tonight, okay? We're becoming big kids so we have to be independent, alright?" Kenichi demanded. Yuri could only nod although she hoped that the offer would not just last one night.

Meanwhile, Motoko was dressing Keitaro's wounds, carefully wrapping the cotton gauze on his injured forehead to ensure that the cut would heal properly.

" You should really be more careful next time, Keitaro," Motoko instructed.

" Don't worry, I always come back alive!" Keitaro replied cheerfully.

" You always take your immortality for granted! What if it disappears one day?" Motoko asked, becoming frustrated.

" Well, it seemed to have last long enough for me to survive your ki attacks and Naru's punches!" Keitaro answered in an uncaring manner.

Motoko's hands suddenly paused, causing Keitaro to eye her with curiosity. Motoko merely stared at him intently, looking very serious.

" Naru is back. Yuri is her daughter, the child she had with Himura Kenjiro..."

Keitaro looked at Motoko, surprised, but not particularly petrified to hear of such news. He just nodded and smiled, accepting everything he had heard.

" I see. So are they going to stay for a while?" Keitaro asked.

" Yes, because of the sakabatou."

" Well, you always know best, Motoko. I have no objection towards their stay. By the way, I've found something really interesting in Kyoto, actually, it was excavated near the Shinmeiryuu Dojo too!" Keitaro exclaimed.

From his bag, he pulled out an ancient katana, sheathed in a wooden scabbard. Frayed green ribbons covered the handle, dangling downwards onto Keitaro's lap.

" This is?" Motoko asked.

" A sword that we found in the dragon ruins near the dojo. The strange thing is that the blade resists to be drawn out of its scabbard!" Keitaro exclaimed.

Motoko took over the sword. Placing her hand on the cool handle, she felt the ki rushing through the blade in a continuous flow.

" The sword has its own ki!" Motoko thought, amazed.

Clutching the handle hard, she tried to draw the sword, only to be blinded by a burst of green light!

Note: oyaji means father in Japanese, but it's more like "my old man" instead of "my father"

Motoko Aoyama: I hope you all liked this chapter! Thanks for reading! Please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, questions, or a note saying you have read this. Your support is my fuel to write more! Thanks again! Have a good spring!


	6. Unexpected Powers

Motoko Aoyama: I'm back and I'm tired...so sorry, this might be one of the shorter chapters. Really, I think I've exhausted myself by writing my new "Inuyasha" fanfic that I will soon post up, and racked my brain thinking of an idea to write the Spring Special for the "Promise series" for "Love Hina," so really sorry to those who have waited so long for this chapter. Hope it at least satisfies some of your demands! Here are my thanks for the wonderful readers of this fic!

**Wonderbee31** – thanks for your Naru punch idea. Maybe I'll put it in later. Thanks for your review!

**Atlantis-rob** – thanks so much! You have supported my "Inuyasha" fic too! (tears of gratitude streaming down my eyes) DOMO ARIGATOU!

**MasterSweets – **thanks for reading. The sword thing will come up this chapter, so hopefully it'll answer some of your questions!

**FormoriCompletion** – thanks for your review! I hope to write longer chapters too, but I feel like writing a short chapter today due to my exhaustion. I'll try to make my next chapter longer!

**Sci-Fi Raptor** – thanks for reading! Cute? You really think so? Thank you very much!

**Innortal** – thanks for your review! Loved your joke about Kei, he is really...dumb at times! Hehe!

Disclaimer: Everyone is not listening, but I'll just say this just in case somebody sues me in hopes of taking away my stinky socks...I don't own Love Hina!

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 5

Motoko's hand gripped tightly on to the handle of the katana as the blinding green light burst out of the scabbard, flooding the entire inn with its unusually strong aura. The silvery blade was rattling within the wooden sheath, Motoko's hand shaking as the sword's ki whipped through her fingers, and with a last burst of energy, she managed to reveal an inch of the blade before it slid abruptly back into the scabbard, leaving Motoko shocked, eyes wide open watching the sword fall back onto her lap.

" I saw it," Motoko whispered.

" What is it? What did you see?" Keitaro asked.

" The carving of a dragon. I just caught a glimpse, but I'm sure of it, because it was glowing like the green light that escaped the sheath," Motoko answered.

Keitaro nodded, and finished bandaging himself while Motoko pondered through her memories to try and figure out what was this sword. The dragon carvings, the green light, so familiar that she knew she had heard about it somewhere, some time long gone in her past. As Keitaro got up to leave, Motoko realized that she had been silent all this time, his cracked head forgotten in the back of her mind, so she quickly caught up with him as they ascended the stairs to their room for a much-needed rest.

Kenichi flicked the switch, turning on the lights of the room to reveal a rather old, but nonetheless neat and tidy room. Framed calligraphy works with elegant swirls of kanji characters contrasting with the pure blankness of ancient paper greeted them as they hung silently on the beams and the wooden walls. Antique samurai armor stood perfectly upright in front of them upon the polished floorboards, guarding the small altar to its side, where incense was burning peacefully. A rack of weapons lay quietly in another corner, cherry bows and quivers of perfectly shaped arrows, lines of katana standing on guard within their dark scabbards, battered shinai and bokken used in countless practices, spears and staffs leaning lazily on the walls. Yuri's eyes stared in awe, forgetting to blink until Kenichi waved his hand in front of them. She dropped her futon and walked instinctively towards the wonders as if caught in a trance, and Kenichi narrowed his eyes in annoyance, put up with the show her young friend had put up.

" This used to be my mother's room until she moved into the kanrinrin room with dad. Your father practices kendo too, so you've probably seen stuff like this before, no big deal to be all surprised about," Kenichi said in an arrogant tone.

" He never let me into the weaponry room. I've never even touched a sword in my whole life," Yuri said, his legs drawn to the weaponry rack.

Yuri's eyes moved from side to side to gaze at the different weapons, taking note of the different carvings on the sheath, the different scratches on the blades. Her attention shifted towards a short staff standing on her side, just about her height, with three dimensional sakura patterns running down its wooden length.

" Oh, that. It is said that they found a fallen cherry tree branch near the dojo, and so they made a mould out of it and used it to shape this staff. If you want to, you can use it during your stay here. I'm sure okaasan would be willing to teach you how to wield it," Kenichi said, handing over the staff to Yuri.

The little girl stood dumbfounded with the staff in her hands, feeling its weight resting on her palm. She was near tears again, but not tears of sadness, of agony, but of gratitude and happiness.

The calm morning sunlight shone through the white curtains of clouds, resting onto the red canopies of autumn trees. Leaves fluttered noisily in the hostility of the winds, their noise awakening the residents of Hinatasou. Rubbing her blue eyes with her small hands, Yuri woke up to see the shafts of light entering Kenichi's room through the windows, telling them that a new day was due to begin. Beside her in another futon lay the young swordsman, still sleeping soundlessly under the cotton covers. Yuri smiled, and slid out of her futon amidst soft rustles of the sheets rubbing against one another.

" You're awake," Kenichi commented, awakened by the sound.

" Yup! Are you going to show me the roof?" Yuri asked, her voice so cheerful that it surprised her.

" Ah...alright, alright. I might as well get okaasan to teach you how to use that staff too. Follow me," Kenichi bid.

As the two walked along the quiet halls on their way towards the roof, Motoko stirred from her light slumber upon hearing the noises of the morning. Opening her grayish green eyes, she saw Keitaro's tanned arms resting on her shoulders, holding her in an awkward embrace that nearly seemed like he was a murderer trying to strangle his victim from behind. Motoko chuckled slightly at the thought as her rough, yet gentle fingers wrapped themselves around Keitaro's wrist, placing his arm back by his side with care so that he wouldn't wake up from the motion.

" You must be really tired, Keitaro," Motoko commented as she slid out of the futon. She changed into her white gi and red hakama, and then headed towards the roof, not knowing that she had picked up the wrong sword for her practice.

" Okaasan!" Kenichi greeted as he saw his mother emerging from the stairs onto the rooftop.

" Ohayou, Motoko-san," Yuri said as she bowed to the incoming swordswoman.

" No need to be so formal, Yuri-chan. We're going to be one big family for quite a while," Motoko replied, kneeling down to Yuri to see the sakura staff in her hands.

" Will you teach Yuri how to use that?" Kenichi asked. Motoko nodded and both Kenichi and Yuri's countenances lit up with joy. However, Yuri suddenly widened her eyes in fear, gazing behind Motoko.

" Otousan..."

Motoko Aoyama: Hope you liked it although it was a bit short. Thanks for your support, please continue to be so kind as to leave a review behind! Next Chapter: Which sword did Motoko take along with her to the roof? Why did Yuri's expression turn from that of joy to terror? Otousan...does that mean...another battle? Up next, "Aoryuken"


	7. Aoryuken

Motoko Aoyama: Hihi! I'm back again, one week late, but nevertheless I'm back! Yay! Hopefully, I would be able to write increasingly longer chapters until they meet your standard, so please continue to enjoy this story and don't forget to give me a little feedback on how I'm doing! Now, let me thank each of you individually!

**Wonderbee31 – **Thanks for liking my cliffhanger! Most people find that very, very annoying, so it is nice to see someone who doesn't hate it! Hope you would like the future interaction between Motoko and Yuri!

**Innortal – **Good idea! I'll make sure Motoko does that! Yea, I would imagine Motoko to be like Tsuruko too!

**FormoriCompletion – **Like I said in the AN, I will try to write increasingly longer chapters, so please tell me if I've met your standard. Nice guess there on the sword Motoko took, but I think I've something else in mind...hehe, you'll have to read on to see!

**VoidHawk – **Thanks for your support! For now, the story hasn't really reached the darker parts yet, but I'll try not to make it too dramatic and such, as I'm not really a big fan of those stories either. Is Last Exile a really good anime? I've never watched it before, so maybe I could get to it after Inuyasha.

**MasterSweets – **Thanks for your comment. I really got confused there, eh? I'll try to proofread more carefully next time!

**Atlantis-rob – **Thanks so much for your support! I'm really, really sorry that I didn't thank you for your review of "Fukai Mori" as you submitted the review while I was submitting the new chapter! Gomenasai!

Disclaimer: I don't own LH, which belongs to Akamatsu-sama unless he decides to give it to me for Christmas...but even so that would be months away! (not to mention that would be an extremely hopeful thought...sigh)

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 6

Motoko could sense Kenjiro's presence behind her, his ki flowing down the length of the slender katana blade that was sweeping downwards towards the crouching swordswoman. She reached for her sword, but when she was about to draw it...

The blade...

Refused to emerge from its sheath...

The realization was too late, seeing that she could neither draw her katana to fight, nor dodge to the side, as that would leave Yuri and Kenichi open to Kenjiro's attack. Time seemed to slow while Motoko watched the sword nearing, then all of a sudden, as if under a trance, Motoko lifted her katana, still in its sheath, and blocked the descent of her opponent's blade.

A thunderous crash could be heard on the roof of Hinatasou as the weapons collided, the wooden saya amazing everyone by holding off the katana's blow. The friction built up, Kenjiro's ki ever so strong, and Motoko soon discovered that the scabbard was cracking under the tremendous powers. She could predict what would happen if she couldn't stop Kenjiro's ki from flowing onto the saya, strong as it was, the sheath would break.

Gritting her teeth, Motoko tried to concentrate on the inner energy flowing down her arteries and veins, sending the ki down her strong arm into the saya, but to her surprise, she was met with strong resistance.

Motoko's eyes widened as she saw her own ki, in the form of bluish swirls, rushing down her arm to collide with opposing greenish swirls of energy leaking out of the crack in the saya. Staring upwards, she could see similar swirls, in the color of red, pouring down the length of Kenjiro's katana.

Confusion swept across the swordswoman's mind, no knowing what she should do, what was happening. It was all so strange, a sword with immense ki that refused to be drawn, the strange power of seeing individual waves of ki awakened in Motoko's mind. If only her grandfather was with her, he would know what to do, he would teach her what to do.

An image flashed across Motoko's vision for a split second while she tried to hold Kenjiro off with the saya, an image of the green dragon patterns she had seen on the sword the previous night. She finally remembered! Her grandfather had told her about this sword, the sword that once belonged to the Shinmeiryuu Dojo, but was lost through the centuries. It was a sword forged by the gods, intended to be used to protect mankind, but when it was stolen for the purpose of killing, the blade had since refused to be drawn, and was later buried among the bones of dragon youkai so that the sword would seal off the evil youki.

Yes, Motoko remembered, the sword was called...

Aoryuken.

The cracks on the Aoryuken's saya were deepening, but Motoko no longer feared what would happen. She let her ki flow back into her body, draining out of the scabbard, allowing Kenjiro's ki to advance and overwhelm her only weapon. As she predicted, the green swirls of ki leaking out of the cracks intensified so greatly that it was no longer the invisible waves that only Motoko could see, instead turning into a bright glow that blasted towards Kenjiro, repelling his ki. As the swordsman leapt backwards, withdrawing his katana, the glow faded away and everyone, except for Motoko, could no longer recognize the power surging down the Aoryuken.

" Amazing sword you've got there, Motoko, but this is not over yet!" Kenjiro said, leaping upwards. His speed was so great that Motoko could hardly see his blurry figure slashing downwards towards her, only dodging at the last second to let the katana blast apart the floorboards on which she had stood only a moment ago.

"Tsukanogedan-hizagishi!" Kenjiro yelled, directing his ki at Motoko's knees. Motoko saw the waves of ki soaring towards her in a straight path, but when she evaded to the side, the waves bent and pursuit her. Leaping up, Motoko slashed at Kenjiro's head with her saya, but he intercepted with the katana, the two weapons locked in combat once again for a split second. Kenjiro rushed forward, hurling his blade in forceful sweeps towards the swordswoman, who could only block until she was cornered at one end of the roof, her back against the railing that kept her from falling three stories down to the ground below.

" It's over, Motoko," Kenjiro commented. Motoko could see Kenjiro's ki gathering up, red waves whirling around him, beginning to flow into his arm down to his blade. As she stared at scene, trying to figure out her next step, she could see Yuri and Kenichi watching in the distance, faint waves of energy also whipping around them, just in a less orderly fashion. Staring off to the forests not so far away, Motoko could see similar waves rising from the green canopies, such waves circling the skies. She could see it all now, the energy she called when she used the Shinmeiken, the energy that drew all things together in a complex web of life. This was the energy that her grandfather had tried to explain to her, to get her to feel it, and only then did she finally understand.

" Tsuruko, Motoko, you must always remember that the sword is not merely an object, a weapon, it is, a life..."

And then she saw it...

It was faint but present, the swirls of ki around Kenjiro's katana, just like the ki of the Aoryuken, although much weaker.

Kenjiro raised his blade, Motoko seeing his strong red waves gathering, ready to be shot at her, but as the same time, the blade's ki, gentle gray swirls, were circling the sword like ripples on the water surface, diverging from the point that the pebble had been dropped. There were points where the blade's ki and Kenjiro's ki had collided, points where all seemed still and peaceful.

Motoko remembered the Aoryuken's ki resisting her just a moment ago. She couldn't do anything, because...

The Aoryuken's ki matched her own, and they neutralized each other.

" Shippuu-Jinrai-Dottou!" Kenjiro yelled. The intense red whips of Kenjiro's ki soared forth, along with the energy that circled the katana. Motoko could see it, the points where the two ki intercepted, lined up in definite formations. There was just one choice left.

Motoko ran forth into the ki.

She could see it nearing, the line where both ki were strongest, whipping against each other as they collided in right angles. The friction was so great that Motoko could see slight sparks emitting. Running right into that line, she could feel tremendous ki rushing at her side, furiously whipping her raven locks backwards. The green swirls around the saya was ever so strong then, and when she caught the glimpse of the metal katana, Motoko slashed her saya at her opponent's blade, the Aoryuken energy slicing right through the thirty-some folds of the sword, down the guard and hilt right onto Kenjiro, blasting him away as he landed in front of the children with a deafening thud.

" Otousan!" Yuri yelled as she ran forth towards her unconscious father. Kenichi too crouched down beside the swordsman, not knowing what to do. He glanced up at Motoko, but his mother merely walked forward and placed her fingers above his nose.

" He's breathing. His ki is still present. Apart from being slightly injured, I think he will be okay. After all, he was only struck by a saya," Motoko said to reassure the children.

" But the ki..." Yuri said worriedly.

" It's fine. Aoryuken is a sword that protects mankind, its ki will not kill him," Motoko said, glancing at the cracked saya, and then at the hilt above it, where the frayed green ribbons were blowing in the breeze.

Motoko Aoyama: Hope you enjoyed the battle. More romance will be coming up, love triangles and all, and soon there will be some angst and drama, so please, please be so kind as to leave a review behind, because that would give me the strength to write more! Thanks for reading! Hope to hear from you all!


	8. Resurfacing Sadness

Motoko Aoyama: THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! I really can't express my gratitude with words! You people are great! Let me take the time to answer all your comments and give you my thanks!

**Innortal – **Yup! I'm sure the meeting of the Aoryuken and the Hina Blade would be a lot of fun, but let's wait till Motoko can draw the Aoryuken from its sheath first, hehe! Thankies for your review!

**Sieg15 – **Yea, I'll have to do a bit more background on Naru and Kenjiro. I'm planning to either make it another special or add some flashbacks here and there, but I'll make sure that gets settled! Thanks for reading!

**FormoriCompletion – **Thanks for your comment! I'll try to make it longer! It's my New Years Resolution (well, it's not New Years, but who cares!)

**NomadicOne – **Thanks for your comment! I really appreciated it! I'll try to make it longer (a promise I made to FormoriCompletion too, eh?) so hopefully it'll satisfy your reading needs!

**Lord Balmung – **Thanks for reading! I'm updating now, hehe!

**EternallyWilled – **Thanks for your review!

**VoidHawk – **Thanks for reading! Don't worry! I'll stay loyal to my penname in this story so Mot/Kei moments will come up soon, hopefully!

**The Dahaka – **Thanks for reading! Well, there will be some disruptions, but just to let you know, I'm a sucker for happy endings! Hehe!

Disclaimer: I don't own LH as everybody should know by now!

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 7

Naru had heard Kenichi and Yuri's footsteps as they walked towards the roof that morning, and she knew Kenjiro heard them too, since he immediately got up, dressed, and then headed out of his room with a katana. She knew that Kenjiro couldn't bear to see Keitaro and Motoko's son, of all people, holding the sakabatou the previous day, and she could just guess what he was up to as he too stepped down the halls in the direction of the stairs leading up to the roof, he would teach the boy not to touch the Himura family heirloom ever again.

It was a surprise to Naru when she heard the sound of katana clashing, not once, but many times soon after. Although after seeing him lose his battle against Motoko the previous day, Naru would still admit that Kenjiro wasn't too bad of a swordsman, being lean muscle and all, not to mention the Battousai blood flowing strongly in his veins. Kenichi, even if Yuri decided to help him, would not be able to intercept some many blows, unless...

Motoko was the one fighting on the roof.

Just as Naru ran down the halls of Hinatasou, a deafening clash was heard while the ancient building shook and wooden debris started soaring in the air. After the rings of the collision grew faint, the dust and all starting to settle on the ground, there was just silence, a long, dreadful silence.

" What's the matter?" Keitaro asked as he leapt out of bed, ran right through the sliding doors of his room, and looked up towards the sound of the noise. All he saw was Naru standing in front of the stairs to the roof. " Gomen, nearly forgot to say ohayou to you, Naru."

Naru didn't say anything as she stared at the kanrinrin; looking exactly the same as the time he had left her six years ago. The only difference was that he seemed to have gained some muscle, and his skin was a darker shade than before, but otherwise, the dumb look of his eyes, the simplicity of his messy brown hair, and the purity of his smile remained unchanged.

Keitaro was dumbfounded to see Naru staring at him for such a long time, her brownish orbs fixed on his countenance, not even stopping the gaze to blink. He didn't even know if he should move from his spot to break the awkward encounter, so he just stood there and looked into her eyes, dark and dull, with a layer of tears on top reflecting off the morning sunlight so that he couldn't see into the depths of her mind. Those eyes, they used to be full of determination, full of strength, but all that were lost, the only things left behind were traces of confusion and sadness. He didn't want to know why that it had happened. He wanted to ignore it, continue his life, thinking that Naru had moved on, but he didn't know how. When his eyes finally started to protest, causing him to blink subconsciously, he remembered why he was out here in the first place. He had been awakened by a loud noise, only to see that Motoko weren't in the room, causing him to run right through the door of his room. Yes, he had come out for Motoko. He was worried about Motoko. It had nothing to do with Naru, nothing.

" Let's go see what they are up to so early in the morning," Keitaro managed to say despite all the things speeding through his mind. He found enough control left in his brain to signal his feet to tread up the stairs, down the third floor halls of Hinatasou, pass the stationary figure of his former love, and up another flight of stairs to the roof.

Naru watched Keitaro moved pass her on his way to the roof, his head, his eyes, not turning the slightest bit to look at her. She didn't know why, but his indifference made her heart clench in pain, as if a dagger had just slipped into the delicate flesh, blood gushing out of the torn tissues to envelope her frail body with a blanket of red. It was an indescribable sensation, a sensation she often thought of as an overused hyperbole from TV shows and manga, but at the time, she just stood there, frozen to her spot, feeling every bit of it, the words she used to laugh at coming back to pierce through her mind.

" Motoko," Keitaro cried as he finally made his way to the top of the stairs, staring at the swordswoman kneeled over the battered body of Kenjiro, with Yuri and Kenichi standing off towards the side. Motoko looked up at the kanrinrin, then towards the stairs he had come from, as if looking for something, for someone.

" Was Naru-sempai with you?" Motoko asked. The question shocked Keitaro, but glancing back at how seriously Kenjiro was injured, he finally understood why that would be the first thing Motoko had said to him that morning.

" She was standing in front of the stairs, but she didn't come up," Keitaro answered.

" Can you please help me take Kenjiro back to his room?" Motoko asked. Keitaro blinked once again, and merely nodded as he watched the swordswoman tread down the steps. He clumsily made his way to Kenjiro, struggled to put the fallen swordsman on his back, and stumbled down the steps to Room 304, Naru's former room and the room above his own.

Motoko stood at the bottom of the steps, her keen eyes scanning the entire lengths of the third floor halls, but there was nothing, just long wooden floorboards and closed doors leading into their respective rooms. At that moment, Keitaro finally came stumbling down the stairs with Kenjiro on his back, and Motoko quickly moved to the side to let him through.

They all gathered inside the room, Motoko, Keitaro, Yuri and Kenichi looking at Kenjiro, who lay completely still on his futon. As Motoko had said, he was breathing, his pulse was steady, but he was still unconscious, bruises surfacing from the parts of his body that took the most impact of the Aoryuken's sheath. Motoko was working on those wounds, wiping clean any cuts he had with a wet towel, putting antibacterial ointment and bandages here and there. Keitaro watched silently, knowing that the children and he could do nothing to help, and their hovering over Kenjiro would just slow down the progress Motoko was making.

" I'll cook breakfast for you all. Yuri, Kenichi, care to give me a hand?" Keitaro said.

The children nodded and followed the kanrinrin out of the room, making their way downstairs to the kitchen. As Keitaro chopped the vegetables on the cutting board, his mind was wandering back to his meeting with Naru earlier than morning. She had known that Kenjiro and Motoko had fought on the roof, and she could likely guess that Kenjiro would be injured due to the great ki blast they had all heard and felt, but she had decided not to take a look, and disappeared from sight without the slightest bit of worry about her husband. Dumping the vegetables into the pot, Keitaro continued to think while he cooked the stew. All didn't seem to make sense to him. Naru and Kenjiro should have been happily wed, but not only did Naru show utmost indifference towards Kenjiro, her eyes also betrayed the trace of sorrow and regret in her heart, so obvious that even Keitaro could see it. Was their stay at Hinatasou as simple as a mission to retake the sakabatou?

" Kanrinrin-san, Kanrinrin-san!" Yuri called. Keitaro flashed back into reality and noticed that the water had all dried up, and the vegetables he had previously dumped in turned into a charred mash. After apologizing a million times, Keitaro left Yuri to take care of breakfast as he made his way to Kenjiro's room.

The door was slightly opened, and he could see Motoko kneeling beside Kenjiro with her hands resting on her lap, her grayish green eyes gazing at the motionless swordsman. It had been so hectic at Hinatasou since he came back, and the long gone sadness seemed to have returned in an instant to attack their weary hearts. Keitaro didn't want to admit it, but it seemed like his life was about to take a sharp, unexpected turn that he didn't wish to welcome.

Just then, the phone rang.

Motoko Aoyama: Okay, that chapter was a bit wordy, but I hope stuff about Keitaro, Motoko, Kenjiro and Naru got slightly resolved. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, questions, or a note saying that you read this. I really need your support in order to become a better writer, so please help me! Well, next chapter: A mysterious phone call for Keitaro! Kenjiro comes down with a fever, but Naru refuses to take care of him! What would happen at Hinatasou? Stay tuned for more "Forgotten Promise!"


	9. Together

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for your support! Please let me take my time to thank each of you for the wonderful feedback you've provided me with!

**Atlantis-rob – **Thanks for reading this story and my "Inuyasha" fics! I'm really glad that you liked Keitaro's little accident when he tried to make breakfast! Please continue to enjoy!

**MasterSweets – **Thanks for liking my story! I'll write more about Naru and Keitaro soon!

**FormoriCompletion – **Thanks for reading! I'll get to the phone call in this chapter so hopefully I'll clear some things up!

**Wonderbee31 – **Thanks for your review. Things won't be going that happy for the gang in the upcoming chapters, but let's just say, I'm a sucker for happy endings, hehe!

**NomadicOne – **A big thank you to you for your review! Your feedback is greatly appreciated! The shout out is really nothing compared to the support you all are giving me! I just really want to tell everyone that their words mean a lot to me! Thanks for reading! Hope you'll continue to like this story!

**Innortal – **I think the originally LH gang would come by once in a while, but I guess they won't play a really big role in this story. However, one of the AP characters will be coming back soon, so I hope you'll like her reappearance! Thanks for your review!

FORGOTTEN PROMISE

Chapter 8

The air was cool and the skies were dark as flakes of snow descent onto the ground, coating the bare branches of ancient trees lining the steps to Hinatasou with a blanket of white. Naru watched from the teahouse at the first snow of the year, announcing the coming of the bitter winter. She had ran away earlier that morning, not quite clear why, and when she got to the bottom of the steps, the only comfort she could find was a familiar face, her life-long friend Kitsune.

Kitsune hadn't said a word since her arrival. She just prepared another cup of her famous diluted tea, and watched Naru sitting there, gazing at the scenery outside for the entire duration of the day. That was what Naru liked about Kitsune. She was foolish enough normally, but at times like this, she would just be there for her, not asking her questions she didn't want to answer, not commenting on anything. It allowed Naru to think over everything without feeling fear of realization, since she knew at the end of it all, she would at least have a friend left.

Naru watched the costumers come and go, listened to their merry conversations, and occasionally their heated arguments with Kitsune over the extremely expensive items on their bill that they weren't notified about, such as the cost of tea. At the coming of the night, the shop began to empty itself of costumers, and soon, Naru was the only one sitting along the wooden benches, the cup of tea she held in her hand having gone cold long ago. Kitsune whipped a glass dry with a white washrag, and then filled it up with a cup of tea, which she set gently on Naru's table.

" Drink this cup instead. Yours have gone cold," Kitsune said in a soft tone.

" Will you charge me 3000 yen for it?" Naru asked, trying to sound happier than she really was on the inside.

" It's 6000 yen, because I gave you two cups. But I don't mind if you decide to repay me a million years later," Kitsune joked.

" I won't dare do that. The interest would be horrible," Naru replied with a bitter smile.

Kitsune sat down on the bench across from her friend, resting her hand on her right hand as she opened her eyes slightly to gaze at Naru with a pair of warm, kind eyes. The snow continued to fall, the surroundings in the distance becoming whiter and whiter, contrasting with the increasingly dark night skies. The silence lasted a little longer before Kitsune's soothing voice pierced through the tranquility.

" It's alright, Naru," Kitsune whispered. Upon hearing the fragment, Naru turned to meet her friend's eyes with her own, the warmth comforted her agonizing heart, causing the forgotten tears to slide down her cheek.

Back at Hinatasou, Keitaro finished washing the last of the dishes from dinner and headed up the stairs to check up on Motoko. The door to Naru's former room was once again slightly opened, just as Keitaro had left it when he had carried dinner up to the room for Motoko just an hour ago. He quietly slid the door opened and walked up to Motoko, kneeling down to embrace her from behind.

" Are you tired?" Keitaro asked in a concerned tone.

" I'm fine," Motoko answered softly, although her voiced sounded slightly unemotional. Keitaro stared at her pale visage, as pale as the snow outside, knowing that she was indeed tired, but refused to admit it. It must've troubled her to see that she had injured her opponent so badly that he still lay unconscious on the futon; parts of him will remain scarred forever.

" Let me take care of him, okay?" Keitaro asked gently.

" Arigatou, but I want to stay here tonight. He has come down with a fever due to the injuries, and I do not wish for him to be harmed any further," Motoko answered. Keitaro let go of Motoko upon hearing her response, his heart feeling a bit sour at the thought of Motoko being with this man the entire night. He mumbled a soft "I see" before stepping out of the room, closing the door entirely before heading back to the kanrinrin room.

Lying back on his futon, staring at the blank ceiling above, Keitaro let his mind wander. It had been so long since he had spent the night alone in this room. For the past few years, he had gotten used to Motoko's presence beside him, her voice, her being keeping him company during the hours of darkness. He couldn't help but remember his eagerness upon coming back to Hinatasou from his excavation in Kyoto, that eagerness to see Kenichi and Motoko again, but now he only found that eagerness to be very ironic. Thinking about the phone call he had received earlier that day, he found a bitter smile spread across his face as he brought his arms back to rest his head on his hands.

" Maybe I should go with Seta-san this time. After all, there is nothing I can do here," Keitaro whispered, staring at the hole in the ceiling that separated him from his love. He let his heavy eyelids drop downwards so that sleep overwhelmed his weary mind.

Perhaps tomorrow will be a brand new day, at Hinatasou...

Kenichi sat on the roof with Yuri, overlooking the lights of the city spread out beneath their feet in the calm night. The snow drifted gently onto the children, the flakes of white spotting Yuri's cascading reddish brown locks like the stars dotting the violet skies. Kenichi reached out to Yuri's head and brushed off the snow from her hair in a rough, yet comforting way. Yuri's blue pools met his brown counterpart and the two's gazes locked with each other as Kenichi's hand reached downwards to rest reassuringly on Yuri's shoulder.

" Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine, it might just take a bit of time," Kenichi said. Yuri didn't know how to answer, and for a brief moment, they were once again in the midst of silence.

" You know what, that's why I took you up here. It's a nice place for you to just forget about everything, and let fate takes its course. That's what my oyaji told me once," Kenichi commented.

They were silence once more, looking out at the Hinata City below. Yuri glanced at the young swordsman, and spoke in a very quiet voice.

" I don't want to be alone. I want otousan, okaasan, and everyone to be happy."

Kenichi wrapped his arm around Yuri and smiled slightly, his eyes still looking outwards into the distance.

" Don't be silly, Yuri-chan. Who said you're alone?" Kenichi said.

They stayed like that for another long moment, letting the snow fall onto their lap to form a thin blanket that covered their clothes as if threatening to turn them into living snowmen. It was then that Kenichi decided to step back down to the flat roof and head back into the inn, with Yuri following close behind him.

" Can we come here again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that?" Yuri asked.

" We can come everyday if you want," Kenichi replied.

" Together?"

" Together."

Motoko Aoyama: Sorry for the short chapter and late update, but I really can't write anymore, not to mention that it is getting late and I think I'm in need of some good quality sleep just like Kenichi and Yuri there. Well, hope you liked the chapter. Please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, questions, or a comment saying that you read this. Anything other than flames would be appreciated. Next Chapter: Kenjiro's awakening, Naru's sadness, Motoko's conscience, Keitaro's decision. Will this be the last of the happy days at Hinata?


	10. Past Promises

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for your continual support! The flashbacks, dream sequences, and notes would be in italics for this chapter. Anyway, please let me thank each of you individually!

**The Dahaka – **Thanks for liking my story! Motoko is just too kind so she is feeling bad for injuring Kenjiro (after all, she did change a lot since AP) Anyway, Kenjiro would be pretty evil for the time being, so I have nothing against hating him!

**Sieg15 – **Don't worry, this is Mot/Kei all the way, although yes, it is going to be a bit...angsty...soon. Anyway, your suggestion about Naru's reaction is pretty interesting. I'll see what I'll do about her. Thanks for liking my story! I'll try my best to make it at least a satisfactory read!

**VoidHawk – **Thanks for liking my story. Yes, Motoko should really pay some attention to Keitaro, lol, but yea, for the time being she will be a bit detached and feeling guilty for something that really isn't her fault. I've heard of Onegai Teacher, but really, trying to finish Inuyasha is quite a hassle (considering the overwhelming amount of fillers, sigh) Thanks for your review! I'll just try my best!

**Vagonnoth – **Thanks for liking my story! I hope I haven't made the LH characters out of character by putting in the originals.

**Lord Balmung – **Happy Birthday! (although that is a bit late, but oh well...) Thanks for reading and hope you'll continue to enjoy this!

**Innortal – **Thanks for liking my story! Things do malfunction around ne? Oh well, a big, big thank you goes to you for reading even though your alerts are gone!

Disclaimer: I don't own LH, you all should know by now...

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 9

_It was dark and cold, the storm clouds swirling ferociously against the violet skies in their background. The trees were blowing from side to side, the branches cracking as they tried to withstand the horrible winds, and their tattered leaves swept downwards with every sway, falling mercilessly on Kenjiro's back along with the freezing torrents of rain that slashed to the ground from the heavens. The swordsman was on both knees, kneeling in front of the ancient dojo, with a fragment of his bokken held limply in his bruised hands. A streak of lightning flashed above, illuminating his sullied face that was spotted by dirt and blood for a split second before the world was dark again. _

_The sounds of footsteps grew to a crescendo as a tall figure approached Kenjiro, the reversed-edged blade in its blue scabbard tightly tied to the belt on the nearing man._ _Kenjiro looked upwards to study the wrinkled face of his father, only to gaze upon the usual calm blue eyes that met his counterpart._

" _Please take this lady to a guest room," Himura Shinji said in his deep, caring voice. Kenjiro's legs struggled to let him stand, the muscles numb from exhaustion and exposure to the bitterness of winter. With a great effort, he brought himself to a rigid stance, allowing him to notice the outline of a young woman behind his father._

" _She was looking for a friend, but got lost in the forests on the way, so for the time being, she'll stay with us."_

_Kenjiro's gaze landed on the girl, the dim light of the moon reflecting off her sleek locks, the bangs swaying in the breeze, hiding the majority of her countenance in a mesh of golden brown. As if knowing his confusion, she spoke in a raspy, painful voice._

" _My name is Narusegawa Naru..."_

The fragment rang in Kenjiro's head as his surroundings fainted into a universe of total darkness. That scene kept on replaying in his mind day after day after day, reminding him of how his heart tore apart upon Motoko's departure, how he had made the biggest mistake in his life by trying to retrieve happiness in a union with Naru. Although his pride wouldn't allow him to admit it openly, he knew he was wrong. He hated himself for hurting Naru, for hurting Yuri, for doing all these terrible things yet ignored them so that he could once again pursue Motoko only to break apart another family. He screamed as loud as he could, thinking that no one would hear, thinking that he was in a world of his own where there was no escape from torture and sorrow. Why did he keep battling Motoko? Why did he wish to beat up Kenichi? He knew the answer, yet didn't wish to ever hear those words, those thoughts, coming out of his own mouth, his own mind, but more than ever he wished to say it, to admit it, to take the responsibility for his actions.

" It's because I hate myself, and know not what to do..." he whispered.

" Kenjiro-san..." a voice spoke, a voice he recognized.

" Motoko..."

Light seeped into his vision as he slowly lifted his heavy eyelids to see the blurry image of Motoko beside him. His senses slowly returned to him, and he could soon feel a burning pain all over his body, rendering him to stay lying in his futon. Despite all the agony, he managed to open his mouth to mutter several words.

" Gomen ne, Motoko. I could never make up for all the pain I've inflicted on everyone. Gomenaisai."

Motoko stared upon the saddened expression on Kenjiro's face. No matter what he had done, she couldn't hate him, because after all, during her hardest times, during the times when she doubted herself, doubted Keitaro, doubted the world, he had been with her, trying to cheer her up, trying to bring back her determination and strength. She knew she was partly responsible for Kenjiro's hatred of himself, for the actions he had done because of that hatred, and there was no way that she could blame all this on him, no way that she wouldn't give him her forgiveness.

" It's okay, Kenjiro. It's all over now," Motoko muttered before getting up to go downstairs to the kitchen. The inn was unusually quiet, unusually empty, and it seemed that every single step Motoko made as she walked towards the kitchen table had echoed through the entire building.

On the ancient table was a single piece of paper with messy hiragana and kanji scribbled on its rough surface.

_Motoko,_

_I've taken the kids to Toudai, but I have some business to tend to so when you are free, can you please pick them up for me? Thanks._

_Keitaro_

A sense of dread spread across Motoko's heart. All this time she had just tended to Kenjiro, yet she hadn't paid the slightest attention to Keitaro. Every time something like that happened, Keitaro would always...

" Keitaro!" Motoko screamed as she ran down the stone steps, pass the Hinata teahouse, along the ancient paths of the city, tracing the path Keitaro had once treaded when he stopped Motoko from going to Kyoto.

" Motoko, I'll never leave you. It is a yakusoku."

" Don't leave me, Keitaro!"

Kenichi and Yuri sat on the snow, looking at the looming Toudai clock towers from a distance. Not far from them stood one of Seta's assistants, entrusted with watching over them until the boy's mother came to pick them up. While they rested under the bare branches of a tall sakura tree, they happily chattered away to pass the time.

" I wonder what happened to the promised girl," Yuri said as she recalled the promise that Keitaro had told her a while ago.

" She probably moved on, like my oyaji. After all, he already forgot the girl's name," Kenichi replied.

" A forgotten promise, ne?"

" Yea, at least he remembers the one he made with okaasan."

" Another promise?"

" I think it was something about never leaving her. Well, despite going to excavations from time to time, no matter what condition he got himself in, he would always manage to come back," Kenichi replied with a wide smile.

Motoko was nearing the familiar structures of Toudai, her feet cold from the snow that poured into her shoes. It didn't matter to her, because her entire mind was on one thing, one man.

But all she could see in the distance were the children.

Where was he?

Keitaro.

Motoko Aoyama: I hope this chapter was at least satisfactory. I really wanted to talk a bit more about how Kenjiro met Naru and such, and I wanted to explain a bit about Kenjiro's personality since most of you would probably think he is a crazy dude. For those who don't really remember what happened in the prequel, or never read it before, Motoko had stayed in the Kamiya Dojo for a short while, and that was how she met Kenjiro. After that, Keitaro made his decision and went to get her, and Naru followed after him. So the scene at the beginning of this chapter was after Motoko and Keitaro left the dojo and Shiji, Kenjiro's father, found Naru hiding in the forests. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please leave your comments, questions and such through the review system because I would really, really like to hear from all of you! That's pretty much it! Have fun!


	11. Winter of Loneliness

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for your support, people! Let me thank each of you for your feedback!

**Inortal – **Thanks for liking my story!

**Sieg15 – **Thanks for reading! The first part sounded familiar probably because it was from a scene in "Another Promise", hehe!

**Vagonnoth – **Sorry about the short chapter. I'll try to make this one longer, but I think the upcoming chapters would still be around 1000 words or so since my final exams are coming up and I won't be able to write as much.

**Wonderbee31 – **Keitaro is just going away for a while, but...Anyways, to stop myself from spoiling everything, I'll keep it at that! Thanks for your review!

**FormoriCompletion – **Thanks for liking my story! Your support is highly appreciated!

**MasterSweets – **Keitaro is going somewhere. You'll see in this chapter! Well, I just want to give you a big "thank you" for your continuous support!

**Atlantis-rob** – I'm so glad you liked the kids, because some people don't seem to be too fond of OC, lol! Thanks for your review!

Disclaimer: I think I've said this many times, but oh well, I'll say it again. I don't own LH because I don't draw good and I'm not Japanese...doesn't sound too much like Ken Akamatsu, right?

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 10

Keitaro flung the dirt upwards with his shovel, digging deeper into the hardened soil, showing no signs of slowing down his progress despite having worked continuously for from the first light of dawn till the coming of dusk. The calluses of his hand started to throb painfully as he ignored his weariness, and with one more hard smash of his shovel onto the ground, his fingers screamed in pain, causing him to drop his tool. He collapsed onto the ground; panting for air, sweat pouring down his back, soaking his shirt. He planted his hand into the soil, clawing the soil in frustration until his fingers started to bleed.

" Keitaro?" Seta called as he came over to the hole Keitaro was digging, his eyes widened in curiosity as watched Keitaro's peculiar actions.

" I just found a bronze snail!" Keitaro exclaimed suddenly as he turned to face the professor, the pain that was present on his countenance just a moment earlier was hidden as he lifted the artefact up for the elder to examine. Seta forgot all about Keitaro's strange doings as he picked the object up in sheer joy, and walked away inspecting it as if he were under a trance.

At Seta's departure, Keitaro hulled himself out of the hole and walked silently away from the excavation site, letting the clouds of dust and sounds of metal against soil diminish as he treaded further and further onwards. Passing through the forest greens, Keitaro finally made his way to the lake that spread out shamelessly across the land, the still waters reflecting the dancing rays of twilight. He was somewhere in America, other than that he didn't know anything about where he was, neither did he seem to care. He had come to get away from Hinatasou, just to clear his mind up and try to make himself a bit more useful, but the truth was that he didn't want anyone to find him, didn't want to go back, because he knew he wasn't ready yet.

The last light of dusk had vanished below the horizon, the formerly bright skies turning into a dark, forbidding shade of violet black. Keitaro sat under a tree in complete tranquility, his eyes watchful of the movement of the moon, rising higher and higher, its silvery glow reflecting off the surface of the lake. His eyes stared transfixed on that shadow; at first still as ever, then it started to shift from side to side with the formation of ripples, smooth arcs that expanded across the water with utmost grace. Keitaro turned his gaze towards the skies, white flakes falling from the heavens, their disappearance into the pond causing the movement of the water. For a moment he remembered the day he left Japan, the day he took Yuri and Kenichi to Toudai, standing before the clock tower with the snow in the skies, snow at their feet. Those memories, those promises, they all changed him so much, changed his life so much, but then there was Motoko who completely turned his fate around, Motoko who was his new promised girl, the new promise meaning more to him than anything else in the world.

Yet he failed to keep it.

He's not with her now.

The sound of footsteps rang in Keitaro's ears. He turned around to see Seta walking towards him, the elder sitting down by his side, his eyes diverted to the moon as well.

" Neat how everyone in this world gazes at the same moon, ne?" Seta commented without expecting much of an answer. Keitaro followed his gaze, wondering about what he said. Perhaps going back to Hinata wasn't as hard as he had imagined. As long as he trusted Motoko to be by his side, she would be, after all they were gazing at the same moon.

Keitaro gave a weak smile, knowing that he had been hiding from his own fear again, like the many times he took off without a warning. Looking down at his rough hands, he gazed at the white snowflakes, melting away with each passing second.

" Maybe it's snowing in Japan too," Keitaro said with Seta nodding in agreement.

Naru pressed the rice ball with her palms, trying to shape it the way Shinobu did in the past although as always, they continued to take their odd shapes despite her efforts. Kenjiro was also in the kitchen, chopping up the vegetables with his katana even though a rack of cooking knives lay just to his left on the counter. The two worked silently, not speaking a single word to each other. After Keitaro's disappearance, they seemed to have been aware, and slightly ashamed, of their doing and decided for the time being that peace would be the best option for all of them.

Yuri peeked at her parents from the doorway, watching them prepare their meal as never before. Back at home, she was the one who cooked, but even before she was capable of doing so, she remembered that someone else did it, an old man, perhaps a relative of hers that she failed to remember. Never had the two worked together on anything (AN: perhaps to produce Yuri, haha! Can't help myself to stick this in, lol) and it was a great surprise for the little girl to see that like any other two persons, they too could produce miracles if they put their efforts together. As the brilliant aromas started to flow freely in the ancient building, Yuri and Kenichi set up the table and helped carry the food to the eating area.

" I'll get okaasan," Kenichi said as he treaded up to the roof where Motoko was last seen. She had been there since early that morning, slashing the Aoryuken up and down trying to make nice, clean cuts on the falling snow when it was obvious that the sword which could not be drawn acted more like a baseball bat, sending icy crystals flying in the air. Kenichi stood there watching his mother, not knowing what to do, until Motoko noticed his presence and sent a wave of ki towards her son.

" Don't bother me!" Motoko yelled by instinct, just as she had always done many years ago. Kenichi barely managed to dodge the ki, and screamed out in terror.

" Okaasan!"

" Gomen ne, Kenichi. I didn't know it was you," Motoko said, sliding the Aoryuken back onto her sash as she walked over to her son.

" I just came to tell you that dinner is ready. I didn't mean to bother you," Kenichi muttered.

" It's okay. I'll go downstairs now," Motoko answered, stepping back into the inn.

As Motoko sat down at the table, and everyone said "itadakimasu" before plunging their chopsticks into their bowls of rice, an awkward silence had hung onto the atmosphere. Kenichi and Naru were obviously still not in the mood to talk to one another, leaving the children the only ones making comments as dinner progressed. What was worse was that Motoko hadn't taken a single bite, only lifting pieces of her sunomono with her chopsticks before placing them back into the bowl.

" It may look back, all deformed and everything, but it isn't that bad, Motoko," Naru said after seeing Motoko's strange act of picking at her food.

" I'm sure it's really good, Naru-sempai," Motoko replied, taking a slight bite at the sour cucumber from her salad, still lacking the appetite to eat more.

At that moment, the phone rang, and Motoko was the first to spring out of her seat to answer it. Lifting up the receiver, her heart pounding with hope, she muttered a single word.

" Hello?"

" It's me," came the reply.

Extra note: Sunomono is this Japanese salad thing, basically cucumbers and such served in this vinegar sauce thing. Itadakimasu is just something Japanese (I don't know if all of them still do that) say before eating.

Motoko Aoyama: I'm sorry that this chapter isn't really long either, but hopefully you enjoyed it! Please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions, or just a note saying you've read this. Anything other than flames is appreciated! Thanks for reading! Have fun!


	12. Falling

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for all of your generous support! I'm really sorry about the late update, because if you have read my other fics, you would know that I had some final exams therefore my writing schedule has been sent into havoc. Anyway, please let me thanks each of you individually!

**Dark - **Thanks for reading!

**Blackharu1 – **I'm so sorry for my late update! I just got caught up in some real life business. Gomenasai! I'm really thankful to hear that you like this fic so much that you printed the chapters out! I can feel tears of gratitude running down my face currently! However, maybe you shouldn't read this in class (although I think I'm in no position to criticize you since I sometimes write this in class, heh heh --;;) Anyway, thank you for your support!

**Atlantis-rob – **Thanks for your review!

**Wonderbee31 – **Thanks for your support!

**VoidHawk – **Thank you so much for your review! I loved what you said about "cooperation," heh (I guess my mind is kind of twisted too...) Anyway, I'll keep writing about the children, because after all, they were characters that I created, therefore I must love them as much as the other LH characters! I'll try to make this chapter longer to satisfy your reading needs!

**Sieg15 – **Once again, I'm really, really sorry about the short chapter last time. I'll try to make up for it by making this one longer. The Naru cooking thing came from the manga, so maybe it seems a bit foreign to the anime viewers. In the manga, she cooks okay, like it tastes good, but her food usually look a bit weird. Anyway, thanks for your time!

**FormoriCompletion – **I'm really sorry for that short chapter. Thanks for being so understanding. Hope this chapter would be better!

**Innortal – **Thanks for your review!

Disclaimer: I do not own LH! Don't sue!

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 11

Motoko couldn't believe her ears as Keitaro's voice came cracking through the receiver, filling her heart with a sudden urge to leap in joy. For a moment, she was unable to speak, as she was too shocked about everything that had happened for the past few days, but when she finally gained her composure, she spoke into the phone.

" How are you? Did you get anything healthy to eat?" Motoko asked with concern.

As Motoko's words reached his ears, Keitaro's lips curled upwards in an unconscious smile. Just like always, Motoko's first question was about his health, because to her, the most important thing wasn't whether or not he was by her side, but whether or not he was happy. He couldn't help but be sorry for running away without notice previously, knowing that Motoko must have been very worried about him.

" I'm fine. I'm in America now, digging up an ancient ruin of the snail civilization," Keitaro said in a cheerful tone.

" Good luck, Keitaro. Remember to wear more clothes. I heard the American winter is quite severe," Motoko instructed, her directions telling Keitaro how much she actually cared for him.

" Don't worry, Motoko. I'm going to take the earliest flight back to Japan tomorrow. Seta-san figured that he had enough people working for him," Keitaro said. Upon hearing those words, Motoko beamed in joy, blinking twice to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. She couldn't believe that she only had to wait one more day, and then her beloved would be back, by her side, putting in his share of laughter into the aging inn. With a few more words spoken, Motoko could finally get herself to hang up the phone, knowing that his voice would soon ring in her ears once more, without the static sounds of the receiver, without the synthetic tone in his words. He would be back, very soon.

After dinner, Kenichi and Yuri set off to wash the dishes, Kenjiro went to the roof to practise kendo in order to clear his mind, Naru descended the stairs of Hinatasou to visit Kitsune at the foot of the hill on which the inn was perched upon, and Motoko retreated back to her room. While she sat quietly on her futon, her hands fingering the hilt of the Aoryuken, she began thinking about the last time Keitaro came back from his excavation in Kyoto. The kind eyes behind the thick lens of glasses, the wide smile hanging on his face despite the blood gushing out of the fresh wound in his head. Such an image replayed itself in Motoko's mind until she finally lay down to rest, letting the kanrinrin's visage melt into the dream that would keep her company for the night.

The snow continued to drift, so peaceful that it masked the darkness of the skies...

The sky was gray as the warmth of the morning turned the snow to rain, pouring down onto the muddy ground at the excavation site. Keitaro, clothed in a yellow raincoat with his small luggage in his hand, stepped carefully around a giant puddle, watching the raindrops create ripples on its murky surface. Up ahead was the van that he would ride to the airport, and from there on, another twelve hours or so of flight would take him back to the place where he was longing for, the face that he wished to see again. But as he sat onto the seat of the vehicle, closed the heavy doors with a forceful swing of his hand, his heart was in unrest, beating furiously against his rib cage. What is the matter? Why is he feeling like this?

Dim shafts of light protruded out of the storm clouds to slip into the kanrinrin room in Hinatasou, stirring Motoko awake from her slumber. Her dream had been a good one at the start, but it had evolved into a confusing series of visions that finally gave way to darkness. As Motoko's eyes flipped open, gazing at the plain ceiling above, she had an urge to leave, to go to the airport to wait for Keitaro, but is it merely nervousness that she was feeling, or is this an omen of what is due to happen?

Keitaro walked down the narrow corridors within the plane, finding his seat amongst the rows that extended as far as his eyes could see. Settling down, he looked out of the window, the skies beginning to darken further as the raindrops started to come in torrents amidst the growing ferocity of the wind.

Motoko rushed out of the ancient inn, clothed hastily in her gi and hakama. Rushing to the JR terminal, she dashed into the train towards the airport, hands shaking with anxiety.

The plane was in flight, darting through the columns of storm clouds that conquered the skies, blocking away the sun from the eyes of this world. A warning flashed on the lights above to tell the passengers to take their seats and fasten their seatbelts, and not long after, the craft was rocking with the horrible wind that rose to a crescendo. Keitaro looked out of the window to see his surroundings passing by in a blur, but in the distance, he caught the slim streak of lightning flashing through the air.

The airport was in view, looming up in front of the swordswoman as she ran down the roads towards it. Light ceased its intensity when she came under its ominous silhouette.

A deafening bang sounded and the plane was in instant chaos. Keitaro could feel the ground below him give away, his heart seeming to have escaped from his body. The lights have gone out, the sounds of warning overshadowed by the shrieks of fear around him. Far, far below, waves of blue green water lay waiting, water of depths so deep that one cannot see its bottom. It was too quick, there was no time for any thought, the anticipated fall reached its end, metal torn, people blasted to pieces, and in an instant, falling changed to sinking, and all evidence of their past life were being swept away by the currents of the Pacific.

Just as the cold waters enveloped the kanrinrin, his eyes closing to the sting of the saline liquid, his mind whirled and recalled the last word he would ever forget.

" Yakusoku..."

And there, sitting on the cold seat in the airport, flooded by the white lights that shone day in and day out in the building, was the girl of that promise that meant more to him than his life. She would sit waiting and waiting, praying for his safety, even as darkness claimed the day and people grew scarce. She would not dare to close her eyes as she overlooked the sign that read arrival, afraid that she would miss her beloved kanrinrin as he came home. But she would wait for days, not knowing what had happened, heart being torn to smaller and smaller pieces until her soul drowned in the pain, until the dreadful news came to her ears. And even then, she would still be waiting, because she believed that he would return. He always did.

" Yakusoku..."

Surrounding the swordswoman was Naru, Kenjiro, Kitsune, Kenichi and Yuri, but she could not see them, she could not hear their words of comfort, she could not feel the worries that radiated from their expressions. The words " Kentaka Airlines Flight 180 crashed 100 kilometres from Hawaii" flashed on the screens, but Motoko paid no heed to them. It was the hundredth time she had seen the message, and a day ago when it first appeared, she had already obtained the information that the plane had crashed as its fuel tank got struck by lightning, a rare incident that last occurred in 1967. As it plunged into the depths of the Pacific, all the passengers were expected to have died, but her heart knew that wasn't true. It was still waiting, despite the fact that rescue efforts were dismissed and instead search had been directed to the black box of the craft. He would return, no matter in what condition, because her heart was still wandering, finding its counterpart in the distance. He would come back, he would...

Because that is the yakusoku.

Motoko Aoyama: Okay, I tried my best to make this chapter good, so please, please don't flame me! About the plane crash thing, I totally made it up, so there isn't really Kentaka Airlines, well, if there is, then I'm not talking about it, it is just this other imaginary company. As for lightning striking a fuel tank causing a crash, the last time it happened really was in 1967 according to the info I had searched online. I don't know much about planes, so please, please don't yell at me! Gomen! Once again, please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions, or just a note saying that you have read this. That would be highly appreciated. Thank you for reading! I'll put up the next chapter as soon as possible, but due to horrible exams, the fastest would be next week. Gomenasai!


	13. Unconscious

Motoko Aoyama: I'm so sorry for the late update! I stepped into exam season and so I didn't have much time to update. Please allow me to thank each of you before I proceed to this chapter!

**Tomdj1701 – **Thanks for your review!

**Dark - **Thanks for reading!

**Animeluver123 – **I'm really glad you like this type of fics!

**FormoriCompletion – **Yes, exams are awful. I'm so glad you thought my last chapter was a bit longer than usual. I tried my best! As for Keitaro's immortality...you'll see!

**Ksim3000 – **Thanks for your review!

**Sieg15 – **For now I won't make a comment on what you said about Keitaro's immortality, but let's just say from here on, there won't be great big twists in this story. Yes, I managed to pull off with a good mark in math, so I don't need to go to summer school (sighs in relief) but still, I have several exams for other stuff in the summer. Oh, and about the manga, I totally loved Motoko's attitude towards the end of it! Awesome!

**Lord Balmung – **Heya! Welcome back! (I got a bit hyper there) Hope you're still enjoying the story!

**Wonderbee31 – **(whispers in a small voice) I'm a sucker for happy endings, hehe! Anyway, thanks for your review!

**VoidHawk – **Fanficzgrl told me that you called me Motoko Aoyama sama in your review for "Melting Ice" so I took a look...and yes, because of your comment, I've decided to update, hehe! I'm so sorry I left you devastated in the last chapter. This one would be a bit better, hopefully. One last note, I'll help you yell at Fanficzgrl. She shouldn't leave her readers waiting for months...heh (leaps away from her swinging punch)

**Innortal – **Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own LH because I'm not Japanese and my name is not Ken Akamatsu, right?

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 12

Darkness...

Layers and layers of them, infinitely stretching forward, likes doors that open to doors that open to more doors. Keitaro kept plunging on, but his world felt the same, the same void lying in front and the sweeps of cold matter that struck his face. Was it wind? It was a bit heavier. It touched his skin with colder fingers. Was it snow? It wasn't so soft, yet wasn't so real. It moved, from the tip of his nose, down the back of his neck, along his spine, leaving in currents at his legs. It surrounded him, wrapped him, clung onto him fluidly, but strongly, not letting go. It felt like slithering snakes on his skin, but was so harsh that it squeezed the air from his lungs, cutting off the air that would otherwise reach his brain.

If not for it maybe he could escape from this hell.

And then something warm and soft dragged him out of the those hellish fingers, and the darkness was a bit less dense, the chilling wafts leaving him alone at last. It was different, but his mind was still whirling.

Yakusoku...

It was then that this word kept ringing in his head.

" Motoko, let's go home," Kitsune said in a voice that sounded more like Haruka than herself, displaying the concern that she normally kept hidden in the depths of her heart. Kenjiro, despite his former hatred towards Keitaro and his son, had offered to take the children home a few days ago, leaving his wife behind with the duo as they waited indefinitely at the airport.

" He'll come back," Motoko muttered.

" He will, but meanwhile you must go home and have a rest," Naru finally said. It was the first thing she had said to Motoko the past few days, as she still couldn't bear remembering the fact that Keitaro had left her for the woman who sat beside her currently. But looking at the swordswoman, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, wondering if she herself were to be in her place, would she have been so pained, yet so believing.

But Naru realized that she would never stand in that place...

The only woman in Keitaro's mind is Motoko...

Suddenly, Motoko leapt up and ran to the counter of Kentaka Airlines with Kitsune running after her, making sure that she wouldn't do anything drastic like using her katana on the poor receptionists. Meanwhile, Naru followed where Motoko's gaze had left off, the large screen hanging in the short distance, and read the flashing message that ran along its surface.

" Amazing rescue of plane crash survivor 100 km off coast of Hawaii," Naru muttered. She looked towards the counter of Kentaka Airlines where Motoko is speaking to the receptionist.

" We currently don't know the identity of the survivor, but I'll contact you as soon as I receive the news from Hawaii," the receptionist said.

" I don't want to wait anymore! I have waited for days and I want the news now!" Motoko screamed. Kitsune hurriedly covered her hand over Motoko's mouth and dragged her back to the rows of seats in the waiting area.

" Since you've waited so long already, why not wait a little longer. I mean, even if you kill that lady you still won't get the news about the survivor," Kitsune reasoned. Motoko was about to open her mouth to argue, but thought better of it as she sat back in her former position, staring at the message on the screen.

" I know it's him. I know he would come back," Motoko muttered. Kitsune sighed inwardly at her friend's state, and Naru merely kept silent, her mind full of thoughts of her own.

A few hours passed before a staff of Kentaka Airlines stepped towards the small group, with Kitsune already snoring in her fatigue and Naru almost nodding off to sleep. Motoko shot up from her seat and grabbed the staff, shaking her as she demanded for news.

" Yes, I just came to tell you that it has been verified the survivor is Urashima Keitaro."

By then, Naru and Kitsune had roused from their slumber and looked at Motoko for answers on what was happening. Motoko hugged Kitsune tightly as her agony of waiting finally faded away to sheer happiness, but before she could hug Naru the airline staff broke the silence.

" However, the survivor is currently in a coma. Are you relatives of the survivor?"

A deadly silence hung in the atmosphere. They were too shocked to respond.

" She is Keitaro's wife," Naru managed to say, pointing at Motoko beside her. The staff gestured Motoko to follow her to the reception area where she handed her the phone.

" The doctor in Hawaii would tell you more about his condition," the lady said. Motoko merely nodded, almost as if it was a subconscious reflex, and took the phone.

"Actually, it has been quite a miracle that he survived in the first place, but the patient has suffered some brain damage, probably due to the impact from hitting the ocean at such a height, or because he wasn't able to breathe while he was in the ocean. Usually, patients awaken after four weeks in coma, but since his injuries are quite severe, we can't be sure if he would arouse, or if he would shift into a vegetative state which might last many years. Studies do show that with family support, there is a higher chance of the patient to fully recover, so I suggest the patient be transported back to his home country," the doctor said through the phone.

" Ah...I would like to see that done too..." Motoko muttered, hoping that the doctor could understand her barely comprehendible English. With that, she hung up and went back to where her friends were.

" So...is he okay?" Kitsune asked.

Motoko didn't answer. For the first time in many days, she moved away from the airport, treading down the cold floor in the direction of home.

Hinatasou laid waiting in its high perch above the town of Hinata, the trees with their bare branches whipping back and forth in the harsh winds. Motoko stepped slowly up the slippery steps to the inn, nearly falling while she tried to maintain her balance on the slightly molten snow. To her, it was a colder winter than usual, probably without the presence of Keitaro. Normally, his warmth would dint the snow, leaving a clear trail for her to follow. His hand would grasp onto hers, hulling her up the steps, guiding her back home. The swordswoman remembered the time before Keitaro arrived, the days when coldness was the only thing she could feel, the days when she couldn't depend on anyone except for herself. This was how it felt. She was alone once again.

" I shouldn't be like this. He would awaken soon, I know it," Motoko mumbled to herself, hoping to give a little reassurance to her heart. It didn't seem to help much, but for a moment, if gave her a bit more hope.

Kenichi and Yuri looked curiously at Motoko as she walked right pass them, making her way back to her room. The normally energetic and strong mother of the little boy looked so pale and weak today, so fragile that they didn't dare speak to her, in fear that their breath would blow her away. When they saw Naru and Kitsune make their way back to the old building, they asked them about what had happened.

" Keitaro has been rescued, but he's still unconscious. There is no telling when he'll wake up," Kitsune explained. The kids looked up at her with a confused expression, not understanding what she meant. How could a person sleep indefinitely? Why wouldn't he wake up?

" Motoko isn't feeling very well. There won't be anyone to look after Kenichi," Naru said.

" Well, Kenjiro is doing a good job here, ne? Besides, you could do it too," Kitsune said.

" Actually, this is really the most I could ask of Kenjiro. You know how he isn't very fond of Kenichi. As for me, I think I would have to look after Motoko, especially when Keitaro gets sent back. You couldn't look after him either since you have a teahouse to look after. I think we'll have to get someone to help," Naru suggested.

" Haruka, Seta and Sara are off on another excavation. Shinobu and Su aren't even in the country. Who can we ask?" Kitsune asked.

" Doesn't Motoko have a niece? If I remember correctly, shouldn't she be around fifteen now?" Naru pointed out.

" Oh yes! Akiko could help out!"

Motoko Aoyama: I'm very sorry that this chapter moved really slowly, and nothing much really happened, and I haven't updated for so long too. Hopefully, the next chapter would be a bit more exciting, especially since Akiko is coming back, yay! Well, please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions, or just a note saying that you have read this. Anything other than flames is appreciated, although I have noticed that LH readers tend to be much nicer anyway (looks at Kikyou Haters who are ready to flame my Inuyasha works...AGAIN!). Well, I hope to update soon so please give me some feedback! Next Chapter: Akiko's arrival! A plan for Kenichi to go to Kyoto? What would happen to the blooming friendship between the younglings, and what about Keitaro?


	14. To Find Oneself

Motoko Aoyama: I'm so sorry for the late update! I've been having a writer's block and so whatever I wrote down, I just couldn't finish it since it seemed really crappy. I was also having trouble expressing myself and so it was until now, the last weekend before the start of school that I finally got something decent down. Another thing that I want to apologize for is that I will be unable to answer individual reviewers' comments from now on due to a new policy of this site. Therefore, when I get a section up for this story on my MSN group "Motoko's Anime Page" (see profile for url) I'll put the replies up there. Sorry for the inconvenience! Of course I would still like to thank each reviewer: pyrotechnic, LHreader, Void Hawk, Ksim3000, tomdj1701, Ranko, Lord Balmung, Innortal, Hinata Fates, Sieg15 and Wonderbee31. To pyrotechnic, I think more LH characters might come along later on, but not for the time being. Hope you don't mind! Anyway, let's go on to the next chapter...

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Disclaimer: I don't own LH. Everyone should know by now.

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 13

Night had seeped into the Hinata Apartments, the soft moonlight reflecting off the blanket of snow covering the pinkish roof to bath the surroundings in an eerie glow. Motoko sat quietly in the kanrinrin room, wondering about Keitaro's state, and about her own too. She had been so different lately, all obsessed about waiting for Keitaro's return, completely forgetting about her other duties. Was Keitaro the only thing in her life? No. She had a son to care for, a dojo to lead, and the path of the sword to carry on. Picking up the Aoryuken that Keitaro had given to her, she smiled for the first time in days and gripped firmly onto its hilt. She must be strong. For once, she will be the one for Keitaro to lean on for support, not the other way around.

" Motoko? Are you inside?" Kitsune's voice sounded from outside the bedroom door. Motoko opened the door for her friend and allowed her to take a seat at the kotatsu. Kitsune looked stunned as she gazed upon Motoko's countenance, the raven hair once again gleaming like her grayish green eyes, and a somewhat artificial smile was plastered on her face.

" Are you okay, Motoko?" Kitsune asked.

" What do you think?" Motoko answered somewhat sarcastically.

" Well..not really..." Kitsune answered.

" Who would be when your husband suddenly went off to the states and then got in a plane crash and became the miracle survivor of the accident? Well, maybe you would be if your husband had bought insurance," Motoko replied. Her tone of voice had gone back to normal, which made Kitsune even more worried.

" You are freaking me out..."

" Don't I always?"

Kitsune merely gave a laugh in reply. Motoko was trying her hardest to be her normal self, so she had no reason to ask her to cry out her sorrows or anything. As long as she doesn't do anything drastic, especially with those katanas of hers, it was all good.

" So, why did you come up here? For the kotatsu?" Motoko asked jokingly.

" I was just thinking that maybe we should get someone to look after Kenichi for you. I mean, after all, you'll be really busy watching over Keitaro when he comes back," Kitsune replied.

Motoko's expression dimmed for a slight moment when she was reminded of Keitaro's condition, but she quickly recovered and gave a smile.

" That would be much appreciated, but with you looking after the teahouse, I don't think you'll be able to watch over Kenichi for me. As for Naru and Kenjiro...I think it would be a bit too much to ask of her..." Motoko explained.

" How about Akiko?" Kitsune asked.

Motoko's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing that familiar name come out of Kitsune's mouth...

* * *

The green canopies around the Shinmeiryuu dojo were covered in the midst of snow, with the ancient building itself barely visible in the blinding expanse of white. However, the inside of the dojo was full of activity, the sound of strong footsteps and clashing shinai ringing down the narrow halls. In the back of the room where the students were practicing in stood two figures in pale white gi and red hakama beneath the armour they wore. The one on the left was proceeding quickly towards her opponent, sweeping her shinai with great velocity, only to be intercepted by soft blows of the other person's weapon. They were now dueling on the right side of the room, almost hitting the wall, but at the last moment, the figure on the right dodged beneath her opponent's shinai and swung her own back in a graceful manner to strike her opponent's side with a loud kiai.

" Akimoto-sama!" a voice rang suddenly. The activity in the room stopped, letting a complete silence hang over the air save for the slight echoes that soon drifted away. A girl in the same white and red kendo uniform came running into the room from the slightly opened door, still yelling out the name in a serious manner.

The girl in the back of the room who had just won her duel quickly took off her gloves and helmet, revealing her long raven coloured hair that cascaded down her armour. Her eyes shone with a dazzling glint as they rested beneath her dark eyebrows, her cheekbones high with confidence, her lips tight with seriousness.

" What's the matter, Anko?" she asked. She was Akimoto Akiko, the person looking after the dojo while their leader, Motoko, stayed with her family in Hinata City.

" Motoko-sama wants to speak with you. She is on the phone now," Anko replied. Akiko nodded and put down her shinai as she followed the girl out of the room. After Akiko's departure, the students resumed their activity, and the sounds of clashing swords once again rang through the forests of Shinmei Mountains.

* * *

Akiko pressed the receiver to her ear as she listened intently to what Motoko said, her expression turning much graver with each word she heard. Anko stared at her in curiosity and concern since she had never seen the fifteen-year-old look so intense before.

" I see. I'll take the first train to Hinata Onsen tomorrow," Akiko replied as she took the receiver away from her ear and set it down once again. Anko gave her a questioning stare, but Akiko returned a look that told her not to ask any more questions.

" As you heard, I'll be going to Hinata Springs tomorrow. Take care of the dojo in my stead for the time being. I'll make the trip as short as possible," Akiko stated emotionlessly, as if she was giving a command to a robot. Anko frowned. That was the Akiko they all knew, the Akiko who turned all serious and full of authority whenever something bad happened.

* * *

The thick blanket of darkness still hung stubbornly over the skies of Hinata City, the moon climbing higher and higher into the havens while two children saton a dry patch of red tiles atop the slanted roof of the inn. Kenichi gazed down at the lights that ran along the skyline, flickering against the shadows like fireflies flapping their wings amidst thick bushes. Captivated by the sight, he didn't notice a streak of tears running down his cheeks, but Yuri, who looked at him without the slightest blinking, caught the liquid that glinted in the starlight.

" Are you okay?" Yuri cut through the silence.

Kenichi blinked, noticing the water that ran down his face. He quickly swiped it off as he pretended to push away his bangs. He didn't want Yuri to think that he was weak.

" Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Kenichi said.

Yuri looked to her side at the snow. She ran her fingers into the pile of white and let the coldness stingthem a little so that they became slightly numb. Wouldn't it be so nice to be able to numb your heart just as easily? Shaking off the thought, Yuri placed her hand back into her pocket and gave a beaming smile at Kenichi. Kenichi blinked once more, his eyes widening at the sight of Yuri. Before his mind could register to what was happening, Yuri gave a small peck on his cheek. He was too dumbfounded to even blush.

" No matter what happens, I'll be with you! And even if you have to leave me one day, I'll still be waiting here at Hinatasou, because when you come back, we'll go to Toudai together and live happily ever after!" Yuri said. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket and wrote her name and Kenichi's on the white sheet. Tearing the sheet apart so that the two names were separated, she gave the one with her name on it to Kenichi.

" See, with this sheet, you'll always remember my name unlike your oyaji!" Yuri said with a smile. Kenichi smiled back, his face finally able to blush.

" It's not like I'll be leaving you any time soon you know...I mean, if I did, who would take care of a gullible kid like you," Kenichi replied arrogantly.

They laughed happily, their sounds carried away by the blowing wind. The breeze was already less intense than before. It'll warm up very soon, and with it, the new spring would arrive.

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Motoko Aoyama: Once again, sorry about the wordy, not so exciting chapter. Next chapter, Akiko would arrive, and something will happen. The story would start getting more interesting soon, hopefully, so please continue to support me so that I have more incentive to write! Thanks everyone! Please be so kind to leave a review, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions or just a note saying that you've read this. Just don't flame me, because everything else that you say means a whole lot to me and I would be more than glad to see you all write to me! While you're at it, please take a look at my MSN group (the url is on my profile)! Thanks once again! 


	15. Weakness and Strength

Motoko Aoyama: This time, I'm really, really, really sorry. I understand that I haven't updated for a long, long time, so I hope you would forgive me. I had a lot of work to do and a major writer's block, so I didn't write anything in quite a while. Thanks for staying with me! You gave me the will to continue writing and so I promise you that I will try not to leave this story on hiatus again. I love this story, I love writing, and I love my readers! I'll not make you disappointed! So here it is, the next chapter of this story, double the length to compensate for the waiting. Thanks again for your support!

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Disclaimer: I don't own LH...let's get on with this.

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 14

It was a cold morning of December; the skies were blue but almost ominous as the air continued to leave a cutting chill in the atmosphere, freezing even a teardrop instantly. The sun was hanging high in this calm, yet deadly, scene, casting its harsh rays upon the ground so that gazing at the white blanket became a painful task. However, a quiet swordswoman showed no sign of frustration for the poor weather. She kept her indifferent visage and treaded up the steps of the gentle slope, leaving her footsteps behind in the dinted snow.

The silvery mist parted slightly as the wind blew, cutting through the scene of white like a knife. Akiko paid little heed. All she noticed was the familiar looming structure that stood before her, its pinkish roofs hidden under the depths of icy precipitation. She finally reached her destination, and a turn of this story was due to commence due to her arrival.

Akiko's hands jerked awkwardly as she pushed the sliding doors apart, an evidence of the winter cold. She didn't let it disturb her. Stepping in, she took off her snow-laden shoes on the entrance mat and quickly closed the doors to prevent the heat from escaping. As she made her way to the kanrinrin room, she could feel her extremely soft steps ringing down the halls to accompany Kitsune's snoring. The first light of the day had just risen, and few were up and active at this hour.

" Akiko?" a soft voice sounded from within the room that was labeled as the kanrinrin's. Akiko turned her head in the direction of the voice, and took it as an indication that she could enter.

" It has been a long time, Motoko-obasan," Akiko said as she made her entrance. Her voice was almost a whisper, just as Motoko's was while they conversed beside the welcoming kotatsu.

" Akiko, I..." Motoko was about to start, but Akiko cut in abruptly.

" I understand what you want to say, Motoko-obasan. It must be hard to take care of two children in this situation, especially when Keitaro-sempai returns. I'm more than willing to help. However, I have a suggestion..."

" Suggestion?"

* * *

Kitsune could faintly hear the voices beside her room, arousing her from her deep sleep. Naru and Kenjiro, with their room situated directly above Motoko's, had also arisen. They too descended the stairs as they went to investigate, all three of them slightly surprised as they saw Motoko and Akiko walking out of the chamber. 

" You are..." Kenjiro started.

" My name is Akimoto Akiko, Motoko-sama's student. I look after the Shinmeiryuu Dojo during Motoko-sama's absence," Akiko stated politely. Kitsune scratched her head as she noticed that Akiko hadn't mentioned the fact that she was Motoko's niece, but decided to keep the thought to herself.

At that time, Kenichi and Yuri emitted from behind the crowd of adults, heads peeking in to observe what was happening. Hearing Akiko's statement, they surveyed her composed countenance and calm, almost cold, demeanor and decided that she looked more like a Shinmeiryuu leader than the normally hot-tempered, and somewhat wild, mother of Kenichi.

Just when Kenichi was going to make a smart comment to irritate, but also cheer up, his depressed mother, the phone rang. Kenjiro excused himself as he lifted up the receiver and pressed it against his ear to listen to the incoming message. A short conversation between Kenjiro and the person on the other side lasted less than a minute, after which he promptly hung up the phone.

" I guess we don't have much time to converse now. The hospital just phoned to inform us that a plane has transported Keitaro back to Japan," Kenjiro announced.

Motoko's peaceful expression changed abruptly, eyes wide with surprise and mouth slightly open, caught between saying "you should have let me answer it" to Kenjiro, or screaming "he's finally back!" Dismissing both thoughts, Motoko dashed out of the inn and her shadow slipped away into the misty distance, with the others following behind, straining to catch up.

* * *

The hospital was eerily quiet despite its immense activity. Doctors and nurses ran back and forth down the halls, carrying with them an array of things differing from a clipboard to a racing bed on which a patient lay. Like the surroundings outside, everything was a blur of white, the perfectly unstained walls and floorboard, the plain uniforms of the hospital workers, and the spotless blankets and mattresses. There was nothing out of place, nothing in the slightest disorder. All the patient records were stacked neatly in the cupboards and all the rooms were situated at a uniform distance from each other, almost giving the locality a sense of inhumanness. Even the expressions on the workers' faces were devoid of all emotion as they spoke about death in a euphemistic tone, not to comfort themselves, but to calm down the sobbing visitors who wrecked the complete soberness. It was almost ironic that this was the place where most people spent the last moments of their precious lives, a place that one would have no intention of remembering. 

Motoko didn't notice all this as she raced to the counter to inquire where Keitaro's room was, but in return for her hastiness, the receptionist just took her time to flip through the records and then mutter a reply with utmost indifference. Completely ignoring the attitude she had received, Motoko ran noisily down the corridors, causing people to stare at her as if she was an alien. Naru, Kenjiro, Kitsune and Akiko treaded as tranquilly as they could in pursuit with the two children in the rear, struggling to keep their shiver within their small bodies.

" I don't like this place..." Yuri muttered. Kenichi shrugged, but inwardly admitted that that was how he felt as well. The air was cold, and the sharp sting of bleach didn't help at all. Entering Keitaro's room was an even more horrible sight, with the sound of the beeping cardiograph penetrating the thick silence that hung in the atmosphere. The stark contrast between Keitaro's pallid countenance and the colorful tubes that reached in through the blankets was yet another unwelcoming image, and Motoko couldn't help closing her eyes as she bit her lips to stop her tears from being shed.

Kenichi tried to stand still at his place beside Yuri who was struggling to suppress her shock. The normally cheery Kitsune finally opened her eyes fully as she gazed sadly upon their kanrinrin. He had always been so strong, through all of Naru's punches and Motoko's sword slashes, but all of a sudden, all of it was gone when they arrived in the room to see him lying helplessly on the bed, immobile and possibly devoid of thought. Can he hear their quiet cries? Can he smell the salinity of their tears? Can he feel their desperate wishes to bring the old him back? All these were questions that sat in Kitsune's mind, sitting there unanswered. She could sense that Naru and Akiko had the same thoughts running through their heads, but they just exchanged a short glance before turning back to Keitaro.

Motoko was the first to step forward, her legs shaking a little as they moved clumsily towards the bed. Her hand fumbled with the chair sitting at the bedside, and managed to bring it behind her as she took a seat on the cold plastic. She opened her mouth to say something, but it seemed that she couldn't find the right words to say. Instead, she just laid her pitifully trembling hands over Keitaro's dark counterpart, letting her little warmth seep into those lifeless limbs.

Kenichi couldn't stand it anymore. His well-kept composure broke down as he saw his parents in such a state. All that happiness that they had shared had all of a sudden left like it had never been there in the first place! He ran forward and planted himself in Motoko's embrace, crying like he had never done before. He would've thrown himself at Keitaro, but he was afraid, he was afraid to feel the tubes that ran underneath the white sheets.

" Kenichi," Akiko said sternly, with only the slightest hint of compassion in her voice. Kenichi turned to hear those words escape the mouth of this stranger. He just gave her an irritated glare, not wanting to answer her.

" Keitaro-san needs no weakling to cry over his bed," Akiko continued. By that time, everyone looked at her in surprise. Motoko was about to protest, but she didn't. She knew what Akiko said was true, and that was why she had kept her distress within. People say that many unconscious people will lose all their senses except for hearing. If Keitaro could hear their cries, he would feel as hopeless as they. That wasn't what he needed. He needed encouragement, not another burden of sobbing people on his back.

But Kenichi didn't understand.

" Who do you think you are, idiot? I'm not a weakling! Want me to show you?" Kenichi yelled, his grief temporarily forgotten.

" Let's take this outside, Kenichi," Akiko replied, still in her nonchalant tone which maddened Kenichi even further. Kenichi stood up to the confident teenager in an aggressive stance, fists clinched as he spoke challengingly.

" Don't you think you can boss me around like that, wench!"

" You can always boss me around if you win, but if you don't, things will have to be like this," Akiko said. Motoko gasped a little. She remembered the suggestion that Akiko had told her about earlier that morning. Was Akiko starting to act on it?

" _It is the only way," Akiko had said._

" _But I think he is strong enough," Motoko had replied._

" _Well, I'll only do this if he isn't strong enough, Motoko-obasan..."_

Kenichi smirked. He was going to be recognized no matter what, and a woman of this caliber wasn't going to stand in his way. Giving a puff of arrogance, Kenichi led the way down the halls of the hospital, with only Akiko following behind. The two treaded outside into the snowy courtyard, the spine-chilling winter winds hitting them squarely in their faces.

" First to have their shoulders on the ground loses," Kenichi declared. Akiko just gave a weak smile as she took off the ribbon that had tied her hair up to lie it atop her eyes, shielding them from the colors of the world.

" Against a kid like you, I don't need my eyes," Akiko said. Kenichi rolled his eyes, but before he could finish the gesture, a sheathed katana plunged through the air, hitting his head with perfect accuracy. Kenichi stared at his opponent, puzzled by the action.

" Take my katana too, I'll use these," Akiko continued, producing a narrow dagger from her sleeve.

" You'll regret it!" Kenichi yelled, drawing the katana from its sheath. It was his first real battle, not counting the one he had with Kenjiro since he didn't even have a chance of defending himself in that one. This was different. He was not captured before he realized. He was not an unaware prey becoming the next meal for a predator. He was an equal, standing before his opponent with a weapon of his own, tactics to devise.

Kitsune, Yuri, Naru, Kenjiro and Motoko were all watching from the window. Kenichi was pretty impressive for a child, running at a good speed despite the thick snow that reached his knees. He stopped his yell as he approached, swerving to a new direction to reach Akiko from her back, hoping that her lost sight would be an advantage to him. Just when he was of reach, he drew his sword in a battou jutsu, but all Akiko did was to leap into the air with a somersault, and land directly behind Kenichi.

" Too slow," Akiko commented. Noticing that his opponent was now behind him instead of the other way around, Kenichi swept the katana backwards, only to be avoided by Akiko as she bent back to let the sword pass harmlessly above her.

" A battou jutsu is too noisy for a sneaky attack. Besides, your thunderous footsteps gave away your change of direction even before you reached my back," Akiko continued her lecture as she casually brought her dagger to intercept the katana. They were too close together for Kenichi to effectively use the katana, and it was locked undamagingly by Akiko's dagger with such little effort.

" And what about you? If you were any faster, you could've got me by now," Kenichi taunted.

" If I got you before you did your battou jutsu, I wouldn't have the chance for this lecture, right?" Akiko answered, her pinkie slipping into the ring at the head of the dagger hilt. In a flick, she separated half of the dagger so that it was free to attack while the other half was left in lock with the katana.

" Two daggers?" Kenichi asked in awe.

" Yes, one side is flat while the other side is lumpy. When you place two daggers together, it looks like a normal dagger. You should've noticed it earlier when I said I'm going to use **these** not **this**," Akiko smiled. Before Kenichi could defend himself from the incoming attack, Akiko grabbed the free dagger with her other hand and threw it just above Kenichi's collarbone while she pushed Kenichi off balance in a fluid motion. Kenichi fell on the ground, desperate to keep his shoulders up, but the dagger pierced through the edge of his shirt and pinned him onto the snow. Akiko tossed the other dagger at Kenichi's other side, hitting the bullseye once again.

" Seems like I win," Akiko said, pulling the ribbon off her head. Kenichi was caught between admiration and anger, but didn't say a word in response.

" You could've won if you weren't so angry, so naïve, so arrogant," Akiko continued. Kenichi pouted.

" But at least you are brave. I like that. With a bit more training at the Shinmeiryuu Dojo, you'll become a fine man..."

Kenichi couldn't believe what he heard. What was this all about? His father was lying there on the hospital bed and she was telling him that he'll go to...

" Shinmeiryuu Dojo?" Kenichi muttered.

* * *

Motoko Aoyama: Wow...I'm finally done. This took me a few days to finish since I had so much homework and tests to study for! At this point, this story might be very confusing, but I assure you that some of the problems will be resolved in the next chapter, which I hope to put up soon, that is, after I update my other stories first. Thanks for staying with me throughout these days. You all have given me a lot of support and because of that, I actually wanted to continue writing. Hopefully, this stupid writer's block will come to pass and this story will be running as normal once again! Thanks for reading! Please leave a review behind to let me know what you think! 


	16. Parting

Motoko Aoyama: Yay! I kept my promise! I'm back with chapter 15 in just two weeks! Thanks everyone for the support! I really love listening to what you all have to say. Before I get to the thank list, I just want to comment on the suggestion of getting a co-writer for this story. Unfortunately, I don't think it will happen due to several reasons. Firstly, I have the plot already planned out and so it would be best if I just continued writing the story on my own. Secondly, I feel that the writing style would be very inconsistent if I co-write this story with someone else. Thirdly, I've tried co-writing a story with someone, and because it never got posted up, it means that we completely can't work together on fanfics (yes, the person I tried to co-write with was Fanficzgrl. I can do projects with her just fine, but writing fanfics is another story...) Lastly, I can't find a suitable co-writer anyway! Thanks for the suggestion though. I'll try to keep up the updating speed so that a co-writer won't be necessary in order to maintain this story's pace. Anyway, my thanks go to the following reviewers of the last chapter: tearsofanime, Wonderbee31, Darian Aidyn, VoidHawk of the Dark Icon Writers, pyrotechnic, Lord Balmung, Ranko, and kpxiceboi. Thanks again!

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Disclaimer: I don't own LH...I'm not Ken Akamatsu (starts ranting in a hynotizing manner)

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 15

The night was dark, but luckily, the sharp winter breeze had died down to let everything sit in stillness for the evening. As the moon glowed lazily through the hours, Kenichi kneeled there by his futon, picking up one item after the other until they piled up into a mass in his suitcase. After the conversation they had had upon returning to Hinatasou from the hospital, he hadn't came out of his room, even when Yuri had continually knocked on his door.

He could still remember Akiko's stern tone, and Motoko's helplessness during the conversation just earlier. There was nothing that he could do except to sit there and listen on to the dialogue about how he was weak.

He was so weak that he was a burden to everyone, including his unconscious father...

_" What do you mean I have to go to Shinmeiryuu Dojo? I'm going to stay here no matter what!" Kenichi had shouted. Akiko had stared at him, unimpressed._

" _Motoko-sama has to take care of Keitaro-san and Kitsune-san is too busy tending to the teahouse, so the only way to ensure that you are looked after is if you return to the dojo with me," Akiko had stated._

" _Who said I need to be taken care of? I'm strong enough to take care of myself!" Kenichi had replied angrily._

" _Take care of yourself? Can you cook for yourself, can you practice kendo without being reminded, can you repair your clothing when they wear out, can you refrain from attracting other's attention when they are too busy to care for you? No. As proven at the hospital, you were nothing but a burden to Keitaro-san's recovery. You are immature, arrogant, weak..." Akiko had answered in an annoyed tone._

" _Akiko, please..." Motoko had butted in, her voice full of an air of helplessness._

" _Gomen, Motoko-sama," Akiko had said in a softer tone of apology._

" _It should only be temporary, Kenichi. I'm so sorry to make you go through all this, but it is best for you and for Keitaro. Akiko is the top student at the dojo, as you could probably guess by your duel with her at the hospital. She would be a great benefit to your training," Motoko had gently told her son in an almost pleading manner. Kenichi could recognize the pain in Motoko's eyes and decided to leave the debate at that._

" _I'll train hard, okaasan. Don't worry about me. I won't be a burden to anyone. I'll return as a stronger man who otousan would be proud to see when he wakes up," Kenichi had answered before he dashed up the stairs and vanished into his room for the night._

Kenichi sighed as he recalled everything that had happened. His mind was clouded with hatred for Akiko, but deep down he knew that what she said was true. He just needed someone for him to vent his anger upon, and the swordswoman just happened to be his latest victim.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yuri sat quietly in an abandoned room of the inn, her hands fidgeting with the piece of paper on which Kenichi's name was written. She was saddened to hear that Kenichi will be leaving her soon, but the little comfort that their memories would continue to stay within her allowed her to let go of her sorrow as the night waned on. Slipping the piece of paper into a small silken sack, Yuri stepped outside into the front of Hinatasou where the sakura trees sat in the winter cold, their branches temporarily bare of all leaves. Under the largest one at the side of the long staircase, Yuri dug a hole down the blanket of snow into the frosted soil bed, placed the silken sack into its depths, and then poured the snow and dirt back in to cover the hole once more. There, her memories of Kenichi would remain, secure from forgetfulness that would seep into her mind with time.

" Yuri-chan? What are you doing here so late at night? Your parents are very worried," a voice sounded from behind Yuri. She turned abruptly in response, looking straight into Kitsune's closed eyes.

" Kitsune-san!" Yuri gasped. Not only was she surprised by Kitsune's presence; she was also surprised to hear that Kenjiro and Naru were worried about her.

" You don't have to look so shocked, Yuri. It's not like I'm going to eat you or anything. Come with me now, the ramen that your parents had ordered for you is getting cold," Kitsune stated, taking Yuri's hand into hers as they stepped down the staircase towards the teahouse at the base of the hill.

Yuri was glad that she had finally found the love that she had always wanted, but a small part of her heart still grieved for the parting that she will soon experience with the person who made this all happen...

* * *

And who wasn't troubled by these turns of events? Nobody, for even Akiko and Motoko sat at the kotatsu in the kanrinrin room, neither speaking a word, as they appeared to be in deep thought. They both recalled the conversation that had happened there just earlier that day, and couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in Kenichi.

_" You want to take Kenichi with you to Kyoto?" Motoko had said when Akiko gave her the suggestion._

_" I'm just worried that he isn't strong enough to take in all this. His personal weakness would only interfere with Keitaro-sempai's recovery, not to mention the fact that his sorrow would become an obstacle in his training," Akiko had explained._

_" Is this the only way?" Motoko had asked, hoping for a better answer._

" _It is the only way," Akiko had said firmly._

" _But I think he is strong enough," Motoko had replied._

" _Well, I'll only do this if he isn't strong enough, Motoko-obasan. If he isn't, then I hope for Kenichi to become my student, under the condition that he will not be told that I'm his cousin," Akiko had stated calmly._

" _Why?" Motoko had asked, bewildered._

" _If he isn't strong enough on the inside, chances are he will be immature enough to disrespect me if he knows that I'm just his elder cousin," Akiko had said with a smile._

Motoko turned to face Akiko who returned her gaze as they looked at each other. The elder swordswoman couldn't help but smile as she recalled what Akiko had said. It seemed that Akiko had even more understanding in Kenichi than Motoko herself, although this morning was the first time that they had met. That was the personality of Akiko, just like her mother Tsuruko. They both had a talent of perception, and despite their somewhat indifferent exterior, their hearts were warm with caring on the inside.

* * *

It was a night of mixed feelings, but eventually, its long lengths had worn out as the dark skies became lighted by the first rays of dawn. Black was replaced by tints of pink and gold when the sun appeared in the horizon, casting a glorious yet mild glow on the dinted snow. Upon this first light of the new day, Akiko and Kenichi tread out of the inn's opened doors, with Motoko, Naru and Kenjiro inside, bidding them farewell.

" Take care, Kenichi. I'll miss you," Motoko said, hugging her son.

" Don't worry, okaasan. It's only going to be a short while. I'll be back so soon that you won't remember I've ever left!" Kenichi replied.

" It's time to go Kenichi. We'll miss the train if we stay any longer," Akiko stated.

" Be quiet, old lady. It's not like I'm eager to go with you or anything," Kenichi snapped back. Akiko just sighed, keeping her response to herself while she proceeded down the stairs.

" Be good now, Kenichi. Don't make Akiko and me disappointed," Motoko said.

" Yeah...yeah..." Kenichi replied half-heartedly. He followed Akiko down the stairs towards the town of Hinata below.

Kenichi paid only half his attention on the scenery as the duo made their way past Kitsune's teahouse. He took out a slip of paper from his kimono and stared at the neat kanji written on its surface. The writing read "Yuri" and that was the name of a person no other than the one who was in his mind at the moment. Suddenly, sounds of footsteps could be heard behind them as someone struggled to run down the snowy pavement. Kenichi turned abruptly to face his friend who was panting so heavily that the smoky water vapour from her mouth made her look like a chimney.

" Yuri..." Kenichi said coolly, hiding his contentment at seeing her.

" I...I just wanted to bid you farewell..." Yuri said, blushing in embarrassment when Akiko's gaze landed on her countenance.

" Oh...it's not like I'll be for long. You don't really have to," Kenichi remarked.

Yuri didn't say anything. Not knowing what to say, and regretting how coldly he had treated her, Kenichi just turned around and started walking away. Yuri ran up to him and pulled him back by his hand, squeezing it tightly to keep him from escaping.

" What now?" Kenichi asked softly.

" I made breakfast for you and Akiko-san so that you two can eat it before going on the train. It's still warm..." Yuri said, passing a lunchbox to Kenichi.

" Thanks Yuri. Next time, don't make it for that grumpy obasan though," Kenichi said. Akiko stared at him in annoyance as the two continued their journey. Yuri watched their figures grow smaller and smaller with distance, urging her to say the words that she had wanted to say.

" Aishiteru, Kenichi!" Yuri yelled into the distance, arguing with herself about whether or not she wanted Kenichi to hear what she had said. Before Kenichi could turn around and look back at her, she had already ran up the stairs towards Hinatasou once more.

It really doesn't matter whether or not Kenichi had heard what she said, because one day, Yuri would have the opportunity to say those words again...

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Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for reading! Please be so kind as to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions, suggestions, or just a note saying that you've read this. Anything other than flames is appreciated! Oh, and if you find these chapters rather boring (Keitaro and his unconsciousness...blah, blah, blah...) you can rest assured that more action-packed chapters are going to come soon! New characters will be introduced, and old characters will have interactions like never before! Next Chapter: Kenichi stirs havoc in Kyoto! Can Akiko tear his ego down and teach him the true way of the shinmeiryuu? What about the complicated love relationship between Motoko, Keitaro, Naru and Kenjiro? 


	17. Training Commences

Motoko Aoyama: I'm really, really sorry for the super long wait! I hope you all still remember what had happened, haha…I actually somewhat forgot where was I and I reread the chapters to regain my train of thought. It really had been a long time since I had updated because of the heavy load at school, laden with exams and all, and also my running out of ideas. Finally, it all came back to me, so hopefully you'll enjoy what I have this time. Anyway, thanks for the reviewers of the last chapter (love you all!): I once loved an tenshi, Reinjuuken, UrNoseKnows, atlantis-rob, tomdj1701, Wonderbee31, dark, pyrotechnic (sorry, I didn't update in time to get your million gajillionzillion cookies. I'm really sad now…), kpxiceboi, and Lord Balmung. Also, I've been meaning to ask if you want a summer special on how Motoko and Keitaro got married because I've an idea of how to write it, so please tell me if you would be interested in reading that by leaving a comment on this matter in your reviews. Let it serve as compensation for the way-too-long-wait. So, now I shall just shut my mouth and let you enjoy the new chapter!

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Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, be it characters or storyline. No copyright infringement intended. The only things I own in this story are probably anything original about the plot, Akiko, Kenjiro, Yuri, Kenichi and some weirdo who happens to pop up in some chapters!

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 16

The mild winter sunlight shone through the hospital window and onto Motoko's pale countenance, some of it shining through her eyelids to stir her awake from her sleep. She tried to raise her arm to bring her hands up to her eyes in order to rub the sleepiness away, but they felt as heavy as stone. The swordswoman concluded that she had slept on her arm the whole night, and she must have cut off the circulation in the process.

Wriggling her arms a bit to bring the blood back into the deoxygenated muscles, Motoko took a long look at her unconscious husband, sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed, day in, day out. It seemed like he had lost all sense of day and night, all sense of feeling and direction, for he looked the same all the time; the same closed eyes, same expressionless visage, same cold arms that were placed above the white sheets beside him. Motoko remembered how his arms were once strong from all the cleaning he did, and also the digging from the excavations, but they were now floppy and lifeless, almost as if they were artificial. The young woman wanted to cry, but she didn't. Perhaps it was because she had long run out of tears, or perhaps she didn't want to be labeled as being weak when Keitaro needed her so much. Akiko was right. If she couldn't be strong, how could Keitaro, who was struggling to stay alive let alone awaken from his slumber, ever make a recovery?

"You can do it, Keitaro. We can do it together!" Motoko said with enthusiasm, hoping that Keitaro heard. There was no reaction.

"It's okay, I'll wait. I'll always wait. Remember our yakusoku? If you are not going to leave me, neither would I leave you," Motoko said in a soft tone, very unlike her old, violent self. She gave a slight smile. She knew there was hope, as long as she had faith in him.

* * *

"Yakusoku?" 

It was pitch dark in this Keitaro's world, devoid of all sights, smells, tastes and feelings. The only sense that still functioned was his hearing, picking out that faintly spoken word with some difficulty. It sounded so distant, so blurred as if it was spoken from underwater, but the kanrinrin could make out the syllables of that word anywhere, at anytime, for it had been ringing in his head for as long as he could remember.

"Yakusoku?" Keitaro asked the darkness. There was no answer as his voice got carried away into the endless void.

Soon after the word he had spoken had dissipated into the nothingness, the black walls that confined him faded into the distance as a blurry scene replaced the surroundings. He was standing in a playground, overlooking a small boy, around five years old, talking to a younger girl as they played in the sandbox. The boy was sliding his chubby hands under the golden sand and letting it run through his fingers as it shone in the morning light while the girl spoke gently to him in a smooth tone.

"Yakusoku?" she said, moving closer to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. Keitaro found himself raising his hand to his left cheek as if the kiss was given to him…

* * *

Kenichi had insisted that he was very, very hungry and needed to eat everything that Yuri had given them, but Akiko didn't seem to mind at all as she sat meditating in the train seat with her eyes closed and her breathing deep and even. The boy made faces in front of her closed eyes and occasionally made some noises to attract the elder girl's attention, but it did not work as Akiko continued the ritual, paying little heed to him. Though Kenichi thought that Akiko was not aware of her surroundings, she was in fact noticing every small change that happened; counting the amount of seconds that passed between each opening of the doors in order to estimate their time of arrival. She knew of Kenichi and his efforts of annoying her, but she ignored knowing that this was the reason why she had taken him with her back to the dojo. 

She was to train him so that he would not act like that again.

The boy nearly choked to death as he tried to laugh at Akiko while he was chewing on a mouthful of rice. At that moment, the swordswoman flicked open her eyes and stood up.

"Con…cerned…a…bout…me?" Kenichi said between coughs.

"We'll reach Kyoto station in three seconds," Akiko answered coldly as the train pulled to a halt. She took no heed of the boy who was frantically trying to pick up his luggage and half-eaten lunchbox in time as she walked casually out of the automated doors of the train with him following clumsily behind.

"Trying to leave me behind? Afraid that if I learn more from you I'll kick your ass?" Kenichi asked when he finally got the rice down his esophagus.

"If you didn't get out in time, you would have to get off at the next station and walk back to Kyoto, that's all," Akiko stated in a monotone, clearly unconcerned about Kenichi's irritation.

The ground was bathed in a golden light as the sun rose higher and higher above the Shinmei Mountains that appeared black as it shadowed the luminescence. Kenichi was trying to fill his stomach with all the food, but his small appetite could hardly withstand the two bentos that Yuri had prepared for them. As he tried to throw the rice away, Akiko whacked his hand with the hilt of her katana, glaring at the young boy.

"What? You want some? Kneel down and beg for it!" Kenichi taunted.

"I will not let you pollute the Shinmei Mountains. If you drop a piece of rice on the ground, I'll punish you," Akiko stated with a warning tinge in her voice.

"As if you can do that!" Kenichi said as he dropped a piece of rice intentionally. Before the rice could hit the ground, a silver shadow flashed beneath it, so quickly that Kenichi had to fight the urge to blink in order to catch its movement.

"What the?" Kenichi couldn't help but ask as the silver object stopped. It was Akiko's katana, catching the rice neatly on its blade as the tip pressed dangerously on the boy's abdomen, making a slight scratch on the skin.

"Next time you do that, you won't be able to move from your bed for a week," Akiko said calmly without a threatening tone, but the words were enough to cause the boy to gulp. The elder girl tossed her katana lightly to drop the piece of rice back into the lunchbox before returning it to the sheath.

They remained silent as they continued to tread up the mountain, now shining green and blue in the full morning sunlight. The skies would soon be completely lit, and it would be then that training commences.

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Motoko Aoyama: Yay! I finally wrote a chapter! I'm sorry that it was still a bit boring, but I'll try to make it up for a bit more action in the next chapter, which I hope to post soon. Please leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, general comments, questions, or anything else that you can think of as long as it isn't a flame. Remember to tell me whether or not you want the summer special! Oh, and for those who read Fanficzgrl's fics, she is actually still alive and going, just a bit bizarre as always. Since it would probably be a while before she updates, she left me the following note for you readers. Here it goes: "I'm sorry everyone that I haven't updated in quite a while, but fear not, for I am still alive. It is for the fact that I am currently being imprisoned by the school board that I am unable to write another fic. During my time of captivity, my brain has turned into mush and my sanity relies on my daily dosages of caffeine to exist. To expect a grammatically coherent update from me now is rather difficult, but I promise to update as soon as I can." Well, that's what she said. I'll help you all nag her if you want, haha! Anyways, next chapter: Kenichi made to cook? What horrible mess would Akiko have to face? With the remembering of his childhood promise, would Keitaro finally awaken from his slumber? Chapter 17 will be waiting for you! 


	18. Chikararyuu

Motoko Aoyama: I'm really, really sorry for the long, long wait before this update. It has been more than half a year, hasn't it? Well, this time, I just want to say that besides being busy and lazy, I actually did something constructive for this fic, and that is, I wrote out a plan for each chapter. I actually wrote this chapter quite a few months ago, but I wanted to wait until I stocked up on my chapters before updating…however, it has been so long and I still didn't finish writing the story, so I decided to put this up just to refresh everyone's memory. Also, I wrote a summer special for this fic, but seeing it is…er...winter, I'll post it up next year. Enough said. Please allow me to thank my reviewers from last chapter: Zero-Nightmare, dark, atlantis-rob, Brumael, MC (this is a sequel to Another Promise, another fic I wrote that explains why Naru and Keitaro are not married in this story), UrNoseKnows (Akiko is an OC from Another Promise. She is Tsuruko's daughter i.e. Motoko's niece. Yakusoku means promise in Japanese. And about catching rice with a katana, I drew an illustration of it on my MSN group, Endless Words. Please check my profile page for the link), Ruto Kuntai, Hinata Fates (what you were asking in your review would become clear in the next chapter, which I hope to upload ASAP), Wonderbee31 and Lord Balmung. Please remember that your reviews are highly appreciated! Thanks!

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Disclaimer: Yeah…blah…blah…I don't own Love Hina…

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 17

The warming days have caused the snow to melt on the Shinmei Mountains, exposing the glory of the blue roof tiles and white walls of the dojo once again. Within the front gates, guarded by two students in white gi and red hakama, was a path that led to a large building beside the bell tower known as the ceremonial chamber. Inside were Akiko and Kenichi, the elder knelt on a mat with her back to the plaque that spelt out Shinmeiryuu, while the younger, in front of her, was fiddling with his mat.

"I promised Motoko-sama that I will be taking care of you here at the Shinmeiryuu Dojo, but it is ultimately your choice whether or not you want to be trained in the arts of the sword," Akiko explained calmly, though her eyes were slightly narrowed at the boy who was still too busy pulling his mat to listen to her.

"Cut the crap, Akiko. If I don't want to be trained, why would I even be here?" Kenichi said rudely.

"Are you sure? If you don't want to be trained, you may stay in the male guestrooms to the west of this building," Akiko continued.

"Aren't you nosy now, obasan!" Kenichi taunted, knowing very well that Akiko wasn't her aunt, "You think I'm some idiot who's just going to stay here and eat?"

"You might as well, but if you insist…" Akiko let her voice trail off as she got up from the mat and walked towards an exit at the back of the building. The boy followed behind her with a frown on his face.

"Where the heck are we going?" Kenichi asked. The elder was not ready to answer his question while they tread along the path towards the east until they reached a short series of stairs that led up to the roofed walkway running along the outer wall that looped around the dojo. They continued down the walkway due north and then they made a turn left until they reached another short series of stairs that led them onto flat grass again. It was there that Akiko halted, standing in the silhouette of a tall, towering building.

"Chikararyuu?" Kenichi muttered as he read the sign hanging from the top of the gate that led to the building.

"That's correct. It means style of strength. This is where training starts for most Shinmeiryuu students," Akiko answered. To prevent further confusion, she swung open the gates to reveal the interior of the building. As they entered, they can see many students standing beside thick wooden poles about their height which they hit at various places to imitate hits on various parts of the opponent's body. Looking up, they can see corridors of the ten floors circling the walls, linked to one another only by a central staircase. At the back of the building was a heavy wooden door, guarded by a single swordswoman.

"The first floor, which you see here, is the practice hall. It is here that the students practice, eat, or just gather around. The second to the tenth levels are the dormitories. Each floor has a washroom which you will share with the other ten occupants of your floor. When you feel that you have learned everything you can of the strength style, you may go to the door at the back of the building. The door leads to a corridor that connects to the Ugokiryuu building. If you succeed in crossing the corridor, you may begin your training of Ugokiryuu, meaning the style of movement," Akiko explained.

"How pathetic…" Kenichi complained. The older girl ignored him and continued her explanation.

"Every morning at five o'clock, I will be waiting for you here at the training hall. I will instruct you for one hour, and at six, you and the other students will carry out breakfast duty. At seven thirty, you will be back here for breakfast and at eight, I will meet you here and take you to school. After school, I will pick you up and take you back here where you will join the other students to practice and perform dinner duty. After cleaning duty from eight to nine, you will go to bed," Akiko instructed.

"Okay, that's just scary. You are acting like my mother…or worse!" Kenichi whined.

"I told you that training is optional. Now that you know what it's like, you can always decline the offer," Akiko replied.

"As if I'd be scared by the likes of you!" Kenichi barked.

"Good. If you accept then join the students on lunch duty," Akiko said.

"There's lunch duty?" Kenichi screamed, causing everyone to look at him.

"There is lunch duty on weekends and holidays since there is no school," Akiko replied casually before walking off and shutting the Chikararyuu gates after her, leaving Kenichi to scream and yell all he wanted.

* * *

"There are four styles of basic training that we must go through before we learn the arts of the Shinmeiryuu. They are Chikararyuu, the style of strength, Ugokiryuu, the style of movement, Kenryuu, the style of the sword, and Kiryuu, the style of the living force," Haruno Kyoko, a fellow student staying at the Chikararyuu building, said to Kenichi as they pushed the cart along the path after it was filled with bento distributed at the gate of the Kenryuu building. Pulling onto a narrower, minor passageway, the two reached the male dormitories on the southwest of the dojo grounds. This was what they called lunch duty, delivering lunch to everyone.

"What the hell is with all the different styles anyway? Can't we just learn those flashy attacks my okaasan does right away?" Kenichi asked in a tone more like complaining than anything else.

"I don't really know. I guess it's just the way it is," Kyoko replied with a shrug. She was one of the more timid students at the dojo and found it comforting to find someone who was willing to talk to her.

"And what's with the lunch duty crap? Why do us Chikararyuu people have to deliver lunches anyway? Look at those Kiryuu people. I don't see them do anything!" Kenichi yelled.

"Well, when we get to Kiryuu, we won't have to do much either. Besides, lunch and dinner duty are already the easiest," Kyoko said as they dropped off their load of bento at the guest area main hall. They then turned back onto the main path towards the outer wall walkways once again, pushing the empty cart with them back to the Chikararyuu building.

"Easiest?" Kenichi asked in a sarcastic manner. His back was wet from sweat and his eyes were nearly blind from the salty liquid that ran down his forehead. This was easy…like hell.

But as Kenichi reached his little, rough right hand into his blue kimono to feel the silken bag in which he placed Yuri's note, he smiled. He promised her that he won't be for long, so he ought to train hard and become stronger than Akimoto Akiko as soon as possible.

The little boy raised his head towards the afternoon sky, letting the sunlight shine on his sweat. With a hard push, he moved the cart forward with a sudden leap that nearly caused Kyoko to lose her balance.

"Come on, Kyoko. You aren't ever gonna go to Kiryuu if you keep that pace!" Kenichi said arrogantly.

* * *

Akiko, who was watching from behind a tree on the green fields, smiled at the child's newfound strength.

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Motoko Aoyama: Yes…it didn't have Motoko and Keitaro AND it was short. I'm really sorry, seriously. I know how it feels to wait for a story and nothing good comes up, but I really needed this chapter to explain some things so please, although it's hard, forgive me. I would really like to hear from you all so that I know if anyone is still interested in reading this story. Your support would certainly help me pick up my keyboard once again. Even a note saying you've read this means a lot to me. About the next chapter, I'll try to get it up sooner, but as I've said, I'll be trying to finish the entire story before the next update, so please be patient with me. I'll keep you updated about this story's progress through my profile page. Once again, thank you very much for reading! 


	19. First Lesson

Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for keeping up with me! Sorry about the short chapter last time. It was due to some constraints with the plot. This one is extra long and I put quite some effort into it, so I hope it would compensate for the long wait I've made you guys go through in the past. Anyway, thanks to last chapter's reviewers: M48, Lyther, Zero-Nightmare, UrNoseKnows (the other girl is called Yuri. This girl in Kyoto, called Kyoko, is just a companion), Lord Balmung, and Wonderbee31.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina because I'm a sucky artist…lol

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 18

A faint glow illuminated the washi paper on the window that Kenichi faced in his sleeping chamber, prompting him to push on the wooden frame so that he could view the scenery outside. With the starlight still subtly shining, fading with the glowing horizon, and the violet hue retreating upwards with the addition of yellows and greens, he could make out the dark outlines of the dojo buildings. Directly in front of him, to the south of the Chikararyuu building, was the Ugokiryuu building in front of which there were always people, entering and exiting the giant structure as they engaged in their activities. West of Ugokiryuu in the opposite corner of the dojo grounds stood the Kenryuu building. It was always the loudest building, with the clanging and banging of blades in practice and the roaring of the cooking fires located within. Even that early in the day, Kenryuu's chimney was already fervently working to pump out the pleasant aromas of food that awoke the student population. North of Kenryuu building, to Kenichi's far right, was the Kiryuu building that lay out of sight unless the boy stuck his head out and craned his neck with effort. It was a mysterious building indeed, for few people walked out let alone people walking in. There was a guard at the doorway during all hours of day and night, watching with alert eyes. The only job, besides watching, that Kenichi was aware of the guard doing was to accept the bento deliveries. But if you say Kiryuu building was mysterious, the other two buildings visible to Kenichi were even more so. To his closer right, lying between Kiryuu and Chikararyuu was the Main Dojo, the practicing grounds of senior students. Besides occasional explosions and flashes of lightning, the enormous building, easily twice the size of any of the four houses, was quiet as a ghost town. To its south, floating in the middle of the giant pond that the four houses surrounded, was the home of the Seven Guardians who were said to hold the powers of the seven principle elements of Earth, Wind, Wood, Fire, Water, Darkness and Light. To become the leader of the Dojo, one must defeat all seven guardians. As very few students could even get past the obstacles in the corridor that led from the Main Dojo to the structure in the pond, there was usually just the Earth Guardian on duty.

"I wonder how okaasan did it…" Kenichi muttered as he took a last look. With the morning sun starting to rise, Kenichi's spirits rose with it and he hastily changed into his training robes and ran down the stairs.

* * *

The training hall was already crowded with students. Interestingly, Kyoko was no where to be seen.

"Where is she?" Kenichi muttered to himself.

"Who?" someone asked. Kenichi jumped as he turned around to see Akiko looking at him sternly.

"Why do you walk without a sound, Hag?" Kenichi barked. Akiko continued looking at him with no noticeable change of expression.

"Must I make a note to announce my presence to you next time because you are too weak to sense my ki?" Akiko asked. Several students laughed at the comment, causing Kenichi to blush in embarrassment.

"Shut up, Wrinkled-face!"

After several brief episodes of Kenichi's barking, Akiko commenced his first lesson. Gesturing him to take a seat at the table, opposite to her, Akiko rolled up the sleeves of her gi and held her smooth but well-formed right arm on the table with her elbow down and hand upwards in a challenging manner.

"What the hell are you up to, Old Shit?" Kenichi asked.

"We'll arm wrestle."

"The fuck?"

"Can you not comprehend the simple words of 'arm wrestle'?"

Kenichi stared at her as if she were kidding, but all he got in return was a confident gaze that told him she knew what she was doing. Giving her a little snort of arrogance, he accepted her challenge by gripping onto her hand.

"I suggest you grab onto my thumb instead," Akiko muttered.

"What?"

"And use both of your hands."

The boy glared at his elder with gritted teeth, angered that she was going easy on him. Knowing that he would not admit his inferior strength, Akiko spoke with a smile.

"You don't have to worry about me, Kenichi."

That did it. Unwilling to accept what she said, Kenichi let down his hesitation and grasped onto Akiko's right thumb with both his hands. The students paused their practice to witness the great battle for Akiko was known to be the best of the dojo. However, they were quite surprised to see Kenichi gaining the upper hand.

"Wench, are you hungry or something? Need to get a bite before we do this, or should I be the one to take a handicap instead?" Kenichi taunted. Akiko just smiled again.

All of a sudden, Kenichi could feel Akiko's strength giving away, causing him to close in the gap between Akiko's hand and the table. The students gasped at the scene, unable to believe that Kenichi would win so easily.

"It can't be that easy…" Kenichi thought. Just when he was a millimeter from victory, Akiko guided his hands in an arc, directing his strength back at himself. In an instant, it was his own hands that were held a millimeter above the table.

"It's over," Akiko declared. A hard press of her thumb sent Kenichi's hands slamming onto the table, nearly breaking his bones in the process.

"You…you Bitch!" Kenichi yelled. The students were so stunned that they forgot to clap.

"Well, that's it for today's lesson. Remember to work hard on your breakfast duty," Akiko said as she got up. Before he could retort, she was already gone.

* * *

Kenichi whammed the wooden practice pole at the ground floor of the Chikararyuu building, taking out his frustration on his defeat. Why was the difference between himself and Akiko so great? He had never felt so weak, even when practicing with his mother. Was it because Motoko had always been going easy on him? Was that why Akiko insisted on bringing him to Kyoto?

"What are you thinking about, Kenichi-kun?" a voice spoke behind him. Turning, he saw Kyoko who looked a bit more tired than usual.

"Ah…nothing…you seem tired, Kyoko-san," Kenichi replied.

"It's nothing!" she answered with a smile.

The two pushed their cart of bento along the roads of the dojo, silently dropping them off at the designated places. Kenichi was abnormally silent that day, still deep in thought about his first lesson with Akiko. What sort of teacher was she? That demonstration was nothing more than simple public humiliation!

"That damn Akiko…" Kenichi muttered. Kyoko gasped upon hearing what he said.

"You really shouldn't say bad things about Akimoto-sama," Kyoko replied.

"Eh? What's the big idea? Isn't she just another old wench?"

"But she's the strongest student at the dojo!"

"Yeah…I admit she isn't small-fry, but seriously, what makes you think she is the strongest? Come on, I haven't even seen her do any of those flashy techniques that okaasan does."

Kyoko paused a bit to gather her thoughts as they delivered the bento to the Kiryuu building. Upon emptying the cart, she began speaking while on their return trip.

"It is true that your mother is very strong, but I won't recklessly underestimate Akimoto-sama either. Despite that both of them are skilled in all aspects of Shinmeiryuu, they use a different style in battle," Kyoko explained.

"Different style?"

"That is correct. Motoko-sama, with her tremendous ki capabilities, leans towards the element of light. This means that she uses stronger, but usually slower, single attacks of ki, or as you would call it, the flashy attacks. The advantage of this style is that it is useful against large opponents since it can inflict tremendous damage, but it is unsuitable against smaller and quicker swordsmen. As for Akimoto-sama, she leans towards the element of darkness, much like the former Shinmeiryuu leader, Tsuruko-sama. This means that she tends to fight with quick attack sequences and uses ki to increase her agility more so than infusing it into her sword. That is why Akimoto-sama is rarely seen attacking with attacks like the Raimeiken."

"Che…isn't that just another way of saying that she's sneaky?" Kenichi retorted.

"I guess you can put it that way if you want, but her style is certainly very effective when it comes to duels between skilled warriors," Kyoko continued, "But just keep in mind that Akimoto-sama has completed training with your mother at the age of nine and defeated six of the seven guardians of Shinmeiryuu the year she returned to Kyoto. Even your mother, who is recognized as a kendo genius, required more years of training to do all this."

Kenichi bit his lips. So she really had been holding back all along…

* * *

Night started to set quickly as the day passed by in a flash. It was time for cleaning duty again. As Kyoko had said previously, cleaning duty proved to be the harshest of them all from Kenichi's experience last night. Not only did they have to clean the day's dishes, equipment, sweep the floors, scrub the dojo walls, they also had the disgusting job of transporting the human wastes from the washrooms to the farmlands outside of the dojo. As Kenichi pushed the cart of smelly excretions, he cursed his ancestors for building such a technologically-deficient place.

"I hate this…" Kenichi muttered. Kyoko smiled in a comforting manner.

"It's alright. It is great training for your muscles!"

Kenichi twisted his lips in an irritated manner. When they were at the dojo's gates, a raven started circling above them.

"Sorry, I have something important to attend to!" Kyoko said abruptly. Kenichi tried to ask her what was wrong, but she was already gone when he opened his mouth.

"Damn it…even Kyoko left. I might as well just fool around instead," Kenichi said to himself. When he got out of the dojo gates, he pushed the barrels of wastes onto the ground, splashing the dojo walls with the sickening brown mass. Making sure that no one was looking, he took out a bucket and scooped up some of the matter which he dumped into the dojo at the patrolling guards.

"What's this?"

"Who was that?"

"Let's go catch him!"

Out of his expectations, the guards leaped up above the walls and out of the dojo in a second. He tried to run, but one of them seemed to have instantaneously flashed behind him, placing a katana at his throat.

"Wait…isn't that Kenichi-kun?"

* * *

Kenichi shivered a little as Akiko slammed her hand onto the wooden floorboards with a loud bang when the guards brought him to the ceremonial chamber where his instructor was waiting. It was his first time seeing the older girl like this, her brown eyes shining with a dangerous glint as they bore into him.

"Uh…chill man…" Kenichi spoke in a timid voice. Akiko didn't let his momentary politeness interrupt her anger.

"What is the meaning of all this?" she said in a sharp tone that made Kenichi back away in nervousness.

"…well…who told you to make us Chikararyuu people do all the work around the dojo…" Kenichi mumbled, half to himself.

The comment seemed to have somewhat calmed the swordswoman who softened her gaze at the young boy. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the silence break the tension that hung in the atmosphere.

"You could've told me that, Baka…"

"Eh?"

Kenichi couldn't believe his ears when they heard Akiko's soft comment. He raised his head to look at the now smiling girl whose countenance showed only slight irritation for his behavior.

"If you are not satisfied at how this dojo is run, I invite you to challenge me personally. If you can defeat me by any means at any given time, I would let you make up your own rules," Akiko continued, "I don't mind you insulting me or calling me whatever ugly names you prefer, for it is my responsibility to get others to respect me. However, you should never disrespect the dojo that your ancestors worked so hard to build…"

Kenichi looked up to her as she walked towards him. When she held out her hand, he closed his eyes waiting for a hit that never came.

"Wha?" Kenichi muttered as Akiko ruffled his hair with her smooth hand.

"…because that would be like disrespecting yourself, ne?" she finished her sentence.

She stood up to her full height, letting her flickering shadow be cast on where Kenichi sat. For the first time, Kenichi noticed how proud Akiko stood, the way she carried the white gi and red hakama of the Shinmeiryuu clan in such a graceful manner. He imitated her stance and looked up to meet her eyes, the duo's gaze matched with equal pride.

"I should go clean up the walls then, Obasan?" Kenichi stated in a challenging way.

"Of course. I would be waiting in your room, Chibi," Akiko retorted in a light manner.

"The hell?"

"I will be monitoring you during all your hours at the dojo from now on due to your behavior tonight. Think of this as your punishment…"

"What? I don't wanna sleep with you?"

"Who said you'll be sleeping with me? I'm just going to sleep in your room. What was your dirty mind thinking?"

"Ew…your oldness is going to stink my room!"

"It's maturity, I tell you, maturity…"

* * *

The night wore on at the hospital in the small town of Hinata, the bleach-smelling room illuminated by the white fluorescent lights above. Motoko sat there on the chair that had hardly been moved from its place beside the bed for the last couple of days, completely unaware of Naru and Kitsune who came in through the opened door.

"Motoko-chan, we brought something for you to eat," Naru stated as she walked in with a box of edibles. Motoko tried to get up to thank her, but her legs gave away.

"Hey Motoko! You alright?" Kitsune asked as she hurriedly supported Motoko back to her seat.

"I'm fine," Motoko muttered in a soft voice. Kitsune opened her eyes slightly in a disbelieving manner.

"You shouldn't go so hard on yourself, Motoko. It's not as if Keitaro would wake up anytime soon," Kitsune replied.

"Kitsune!" Naru snapped. The fox lady scratched her head and uttered an apology.

"You really don't have to apologize for what you said, Kitsune," Motoko answered, "I understand what you mean, but I have faith in Keitaro!"

Kitsune returned a smile and took out the food for Motoko to dine on. However, as Motoko dipped her spoon in the soup, her hand shook uncontrollably.

"Anyhow, you really should take a rest, Motoko-chan," Naru stated.

"It's nothing. I think I just need to eat…" Motoko's voice trailed off as her mind blacked out from exhaustion, her ears unable to hear Kitsune and Naru's concerned cries.

* * *

The moon continued to shine as the blonde-haired woman sat in the place of where the raven-haired woman had been, watching her former love under the dim light. Kitsune had taken Motoko back to Hinata for her well-deserved rest, so Naru was left all alone at the quiet chamber.

She felt the urge to stroke the man's tanned cheeks, but remembering the way he looked at the swordswoman, she pulled back knowing that her behavior was inappropriate. In the past, she had the chance to be with him, but she didn't cherish it. It was only right for her to lose his heart that she had always yearned for.

Sitting back, she turned her gaze towards the opened window and the still night outside. She couldn't blame anybody for this loneliness. It was all what she deserved…

And soon, her eyes closed in the evening breeze, her tensed hands falling limp into slumber. Little did she notice the man's fingers shift under the bed sheets, his lips moving slightly as he whispered a single word.

Yakusoku…

* * *

Motoko Aoyama: Hope you liked the chapter! I'm already working on the next, so hopefully I can finish writing this story quicker and be able to deliver updates more quickly as well. I did an art for Akiko so if you are interested, check out my profile page and there is a link to my deviantart account. The art is posted there. Anyway, thanks for reading. Happy New Years, everyone! Please be so kind, in this holiday season, to leave a review behind, be it constructive criticism, comments, questions, suggestions, or just a note saying you've read this. Anything other than flames and disrespectful reviews is highly appreciated. Thanks for the support! Next Chapter: Keitaro awakens! What will happen when he sees Naru sitting by his bedside? Will his father's revival help Kenichi overcome the obstacles in his training? Chapter 19 – Lost Soul. Look forward to it! 


	20. Lost Soul

Motoko Aoyama: This is going to be the most serious AN I've written for a while. Why? Because of many things I've began to realize. Initially, I told myself that I was holding back the writing of this particular fic due to low review counts, but truthfully speaking, I don't think that is the case, especially after reading EnigmaticKnight's review. I really want to thank you so much for that review. At first, I was like "I'm not losing interest in this fic…never!" but after a while of thinking (as you can see how this fic hasn't been updated for a while…) I think you are right. I confess that in the process of trying to write with a darker tone, I've forgotten about what made LH and "Another Promise" so special in my heart. It isn't really the fact that this fic is dark, but rather, it is getting dry, as if there is no life in it. The only life that I can feel as I reread the chapters is when I talk about Akiko, which is truly sad because she is just an OC. I've thought about discontinuing this fic, but I think that is not going to solve the problem. That is basically just turning away from the obstruction, something that I really don't want to do because I loved writing and I continue to do so. Therefore, I'm planning on changing the plotline that I have in mind slightly, and most of all, I'll give up on this artificial writing style that is so hard to upkeep. It really isn't me and I know it, so the hell with it now. I apologize for so many dry chapters. From now on, it is going to be my true writing, whatever comes into my mind and get through to my keyboard, and I wish this would bring back the spirit of the "Promise Trilogy." Once again, a big thank you goes to EnigmaticKnight for your review. You are awesome! Also of note are the other reviewers: Zero-Nightmare, Lord Balmung, UrNoseKnows (Tsuruko has the capabilities of both Light and Dark but she tends to use Dark more in battles, like the ones she fought with Motoko in the manga), Wonderbee31 and Lyther. Thanks again and hope you'll see some improvement!

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, but we will own Stanley!!!!!!

* * *

The sandbox was gone…

Darkness bled from the corners of his vision inwards, filling it all with black, but for the first time, there seemed to be a line of white down the middle, a cut in the emptiness. He eagerly ran forth towards the line, forced his fingers into the crack and pushed. It was a door, a black door, which opened to another one, another one behind that. His breathing became ragged. Light! He needed it! He lashed through door after door after door, pushing his way down the empty corridor. It seemed endless but he could feel the obstruction thinning, the cracks growing larger and larger as more and more light spilled in.

The last door swung wide and his hand reached up instinctively, shielding him from the blinding glory. It was a red glow, the light that seeped through his eyelids.

Once again, he felt whole, not just a drifting soul suspended in a bottomless tank. Softness touched his feet; it was a piece of fabric, a blanket draped over him. The way his hair tickled the sides of his face were so real, so real that he knew he had awakened.

First with difficulty, then with more ease, he opened his eyes.

* * *

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 19 – Lost Soul

* * *

"Kei…Keitaro!?" she exclaimed, stuttering over her words. She couldn't believe it! Feeling a movement from underneath her arms, she stirred awake, only to see that he was the cause of the movement…him!

But she was just met by silence. Unspoken words hung in mid-air as her blonde locks followed the rhythm of the curtains while they danced in the early morning breeze. Her brown orbs were opened wide, locked with his weary ones, and neither spoke for a long moment.

"…I would assume…" he began, choosing his words as carefully as his just awakened mind would acquiesce, "…that I'm this Keitaro that you speak of."

She gasped. She didn't want to, but she couldn't help it. All the things that she had wanted to say were shattered, shattered so quickly that she didn't know where to begin gathering the fragments. Her half-opened mouth hung there in an awkward position, her lips struggling to move in the proper formation for words that could never come out. Instantly, her mind blanked, unable to process the sudden information.

What did he mean by…assuming that he was Keitaro?

"I…I…" she kept trying to start the sentence, but all that stuttered out were a series of toddler sounds, "I'll…press that…"

She couldn't even get herself to express a simple action. Her shaking legs could only barely keep her up for so slight an instant that her hand had to swing out to whack the alarm that notified the nurses. As if such a task had taken up all her energy, Naru collapsed on her chair, nearly falling over from her unrestrained movement.

He didn't fare any better either. He turned his head as best as he could to face the visitor, his silent eyes watching everything that she did. As if he could feel her panic, his heart pounded harder, cold sweat developing on his half-covered hands. Who was he? What was he? And why…?

Why did a word keep ringing in his head?

"…yakusoku," he muttered to himself as his head neared blasting from the numerous times that word rang. His visitor immediately jerked her head in his direction, her pupils dilating again.

"What do you remember!?" she said in a rather harsh tone that she soon regretted. A strong feeling burned inside of her, but she couldn't describe it. It was a mix of hope, desire, desperateness, anticipation…

It was too much. It was overwhelming.

"…I – I'm…" he tried to speak, but couldn't, "I'm sorry."

She sighed. Trying to relax, she sat back on the chair, leaning her hot, dry skin into the cold plastic. Closing her eyes, she tried to picture darkness, but images of the past promise ran through her head, flashing…flashing away…

"It's okay…" she finally said when she opened her eyes once more. She shouldn't be forcing him, for he was probably taking it worse than anyone else. From everything, a father and husband and landlord and friend, to nothing…an empty shell walking on this Earth, he must have been afraid, "This yakusoku that you speak of. Was it made in a sandbox?"

He gripped onto the blanket. Sandbox. Yes, it was a sandbox. The cherry petals were flying and the scent of spring was so close to his heart that he could not forget that dream.

"Y- y- you…" he stuttered, leaning closer to her to survey her fair features and cascading hair, "are you…?"

"I'm your promised girl."

She immediately hated herself for saying that. She knew that the old Keitaro had moved on from the promise, but she couldn't stop herself from saying it. How many times did she wish that her Idiot Keitaro would come back to her? How many times had she regretted not saying the very sentence that slipped from her mouth? The vision of Motoko fainting by his bedside made her wince in guilt, but she convinced herself that he needed her now; he needed someone, something to link him back to his past.

For another time, she decided to be selfish.

* * *

"I can't believe it! Oh, Kami-sama! I just can't!" Kitsune ran up the stairs towards Hinatasou. She had forgotten all about torturing her customers with her absurdly high tea prices and simply darted out of the shop, not minding whether or not someone would steal her plates (something that she normally cared a lot about, in fact, so much that she locked up the utensils every night). She was leaping two steps at a time, nearly causing her to trip, but she continued on, her hands flying by her sides in desperate hopes of keeping her balance. Whamming the sliding front doors open with her bare hands, completely ignoring the fact that she had just blasted apart the lock, she rampaged down the hall to the kanrinrin room.

"K-Kitsune-san!!!" Yuri exclaimed, trying her best to hurry away while the older woman finally lost balance and crashed into Motoko's room. The little girl was about to warn her about her noise, but seeing that the fox lady was so emotionally high, she didn't intervene.

"Nani?" Motoko muttered when she opened her eyes. She was slightly surprised that she awoke in Hinatasou, but she was even more surprised to find Kitsune on top of her with shreds of the paper door lying between them, "What the heck are you doing here, Kitsune!?"

"I don't have time to explain!" Kitsune said in a hurried tone, "But Keitaro is coming back! He is awake!"

Motoko felt the air squeeze out of her lungs, leaving her temporarily breathless and shocked. When the fact finally sunk in, she felt her wide-opened eyes blink twice before gazing at her hands that held nothing but her fingerprints. Her blanked out mind slowly started functioning again, signaling her facial muscles to pull up in a smile that grew wider and wider until she found herself laughing almost hysterically. He was awake! He was coming back! Everything is going to be alright again!

"KITSUNE!!!!!!!!!!" she cried, hugging the other woman. Yuri found herself smiling too, tears of happiness forming in her eyes as she joined the other two in their rejoice.

* * *

Keitaro looked to the sides of the staircase, noting how the melting snow had revealed the strong branches underneath, green with new leaves that dotted the plant here and there. It had been so long since he had smelled this fresh air, brisk in the winter afternoon but warm enough so that it didn't freeze his nostrils. The sunlight was mild enough that he could look into the skies without shielding his eyes, but it was also bright enough to decorate the town of Hinata with shimmers that danced across the falling icicles. Getting used to his body again, he stepped upwards slowly, taking his time to appreciate the world around him. He was sure that he hadn't done so in the past because there wasn't much detail in his single dream, so he took the opportunity to know himself again, to know everything again.

"Welcome home, Kanrinrin-san!" Yuri called from the top of the stairs, waving fervently. Keitaro didn't know who she was, but her smile touched a certain nerve in his system, causing him to return the favor. Behind the girl was an older woman in a violet turtle-neck, her eyes closed in apparent happiness. Beside that woman was a man in kendo garbs, his spiky red hair gleaming in the sunlight. To the far left stood the fourth and final face, her eyes tired but shining with relief. Her raven hair was ruffled, but the strands flew so gracefully that he wanted to run them through his hands.

"What am I thinking?" he thought. Dimissing the thought, he walked up to them with a smile, his eyes beaming from behind his glasses.

"Thank you for the warm welcoming!" he said, coming up to them. The raven haired girl stepped up to him eagerly, but he couldn't bring himself to stay close to her. He turned towards the little girl beside him and patted her head, "I'll try my best to recover as quickly as I can. I hope you would all teach me what I need to know about myself."

"…teach…teach you?" Motoko stuttered. She took a step back, freezing in that spot.

"Yes," Naru said as she came from behind Keitaro, "he has lost his memories."

Kitsune thought that Motoko would collapse, as even she found the news hard to accept, but as she placed her hand on the swordswoman, she found that the younger was standing firm.

In fact, Motoko just shifted from her awkward position and stood stronger.

"That is okay," Motoko muttered silently. She held out her hand for Keitaro to take, "My name is Motoko. I'll try my best to help you, Kanrinrin-san."

* * *

Motoko Aoyama: Finally I've finished the chapter! I've tried my best to make it a good chapter, so please tell me what is good and what needs to be worked on even more! Thanks for reading and you have more of my thanks if you review too! Remember, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, or just a short note saying you've read this is more than welcome! Next chapter: Is Motoko dealing with the situation as good as she seems? What will be Kenichi's reaction to the sudden phone call from his mother? Chapter 20 – Respect. Look forward to it! 


	21. Respect

Motoko Aoyama: What can I say…sorry for the late update and thanks for your awesome support? I know this statement sounds so half-hearted, but then, I'm not that great with expressing my emotions, especially with words, so hopefully you can sort of imagine what's going through my mind when I read your reviews. I'm really sorry about how most people somewhat forgot the story due to the long time between updates…maybe I'll put a summary thing on my MSN group Y.E.A.H. for those who don't want to read through the whole thing over again every single time I update. Thanks Eric for your kind reminder about the characterization of Kenichi. I personally don't think it was taken from Yahiko since it was ages since I saw RK, but I do think I went overboard on the emphasis of Kenichi's arrogance in his swordsmanship which was supposed to mirror Motoko's own arrogance at the beginning of LH. I'll be trying to correct that as I go along, and hopefully Akiko would appear to be something more than a stereotypical ice queen, haha. Oh, and also, I'll be putting up completed segments of the next chapter on Y.E.A.H. as I go along. You can check my profile for the URL, and after you join the group, go to documents at the bottom of the left navigation bar. The file format I use is Word, so hopefully you can open them and take a sneak peek if you're eager for the next installment. Please allow me to thank each reviewer before we begin the next chapter: revanunkown, atlantis-rob, Zero-Nightmare, Lord Balmung, kpxiceboi, Wonderbee31, EnigmaticKnight, kevinasher, and Eric! If I suck at writing, then feel free to criticize me! Also, the promised Summer Special is up, so see my profile for the link!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own LH!

* * *

_There is something about her that makes it seem like there is a halo of light surrounding her, engulfing her, giving me the glow I need to proceed on my road. Her words may bite me like the freezing winter wind, but that something reminds me of what is purpose, and that alone is the warmest hearth of them all. _

* * *

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 20 – Respect

* * *

"Oyaji…I mean…Otousan has awaken?" Kenichi asked in an almost joyful manner. The voice in the receiver continued to speak, and he listened on intently, finally replying in a tone of slight disappointment, but also a hint of reassurance, "I see. But I trust he will recover soon! Otherwise, I'll beat him back to health!" 

Motoko couldn't be happier to hear those words coming out of her son. The tone of his voice was still that of a child, but what can she do…he was still young after all. But what mattered the most was the strength that he had acquired, not physical, but more of a mental quality. He was able to feel her emotions, and instead of his normal whining, he had chosen the best way to cheer her up; to silently support her.

So, she too must be strong.

* * *

The kitchen had always been one of Motoko's weak points, but then, Keitaro usually didn't mind as he had a passion for the culinary arts. In the past, she had looked upon his rather feminine interest as a sign of his weakness, but now, she realized how much she was relying on him all the time. For once, she needed to stand strong to the demonic stove and devilish rice cooker. It seemed as though their dark silhouettes were waiting to devour her, but with what she called a tanto (i.e. kitchen knife) in her hand, she was fearless. The carrot stick flew into midair as a brave Goutatsu Amakiri sliced it into such thin pieces that a million of them floated lazily in the air. During their descent, a million blasts of Samidarekiri further cut these carrot slices into noodle-like shapes that were as thin as hair. As though she was "guided by the force", Motoko sent the carrot noodles, as I would affectionately call them from here on, into the pot of boiling water. 

Unfortunately, the sword master was only good at cutting things. Unaware of the tremendous increase of surface area she had caused by slicing the single carrot into such thin counterparts, she boiled the poor vegetable for a bit too long, causing it to look rather…denatured.

"Ano…Aoyama-san?" a voice said at the door to the kitchen. Motoko turned to see her own husband calling her by her maiden name.

How awkward.

"Ahh…yes…what's the matter?" Motoko struggled to reply.

"The food…seems a bit charred."

More awkwardness ensued. Motoko totally dismissed the thought of confessing that she was intending to make breakfast for him.

"Err…how about I take over the cooking, Aoyama-san? I heard from Konno-san that you usually train at this time of day."

"Umm…yeah…yes, I'd be better off training…" Motoko muttered in an undertone, and then forced a smile, "I thank you in advance for the food, Kanrinrin-san!"

Perhaps if she called him that, he would feel less awkward.

* * *

_Father is now awake…_

_Akiko…no…Akimoto-sensei is going to bring me back to Hinatasou next summer…_

_On my birthday…_

_If father can be strong, I can too…_

He swung open the door at the back of the Chikararyuu building, but unlike the corridor of sophisticated traps that he had imaged, he was faced with nothing but darkness. He took a step into the dark, damp hallway, stopping there so that his eyes can adjust to the lighting. Although he stood there for about fifteen minutes, there was no change in the scenery. It was still as dark as before.

"Maybe there's nothing here anyway," Kenichi said to himself, trying to reassure his pounding heart. He took another step forward, and the door behind him slammed mercilessly shut, making his surroundings become even darker.

_Guess there's no turning back, huh?_

He walked forwards one more step, but was suddenly met with a tremendous force on his chest that sent him flying back. The door swung open and he was thrown back into the lighted confines of the dojo building.

"DAMNIT!!! LET ME IN!!!" Kenichi yelled as he rushed back up to the door that had already slammed shut by the time he reached it. He pulled on the handle, but it was sealed tight.

_Oh yeah…what the hell am I doing?_

_Yelling is not going to get me anywhere. All I need to do is get stronger._

* * *

Morning came quickly, but last night's challenge was unforgotten. Kenichi was up very early and was already practicing on the wooden dummies at the ground floor of the dojo building. Akiko, having woke up without seeing Kenichi on the futon beside hers, rushed downstairs to where his ki could be sensed in fear that he was going to do something inappropriate again. 

"Are you surprised at my good behavior, Akimoto-sensei?" Kenichi asked in a cheerful voice. Akiko actually rubbed her eyes.

"Umm…to be honest…a bit," she answered.

"Well, don't be, because I'm the respectable warrior of Urashima descent, therefore such behavior is to be expected."

Just when Akiko was about to praise him, he had come up with an arrogant statement that kept Akiko's comment to herself. She sighed…it was an improvement though. As Tsuruko had often told her, change doesn't come instantaneously. Patience is an important virtue to the mastery of Shinmeiryuu.

"Very well, respectable warrior Kenichi," Akiko said in a joking tone, "Wait for me at the stone table outside. I'll go brew some tea first."

"Brew tea!?" Kenichi exclaimed, but did as he was told.

* * *

The air outside was crisp and clean. It certainly was quite a difference from a large city such as Tokyo. However, the cool quality of the atmosphere did little to calm Kenichi's passion towards improving his skills. He tapped his foot impatiently as he stared at the dojo building, waiting for Akiko to come out. Sure enough, when she arrived, she was holding a cup of seemingly very hot tea, complete with a cloud of steam rising from its crystal green surface. 

"You really did brew tea, Akimoto-sensei!? What's that for?" Kenichi exclaimed.

"For me to drink of course," Akiko replied, sitting herself while she carefully set the cup on the stone table, "We'll practice until I finish this cup of tea. As you can see, it is very hot, so you have quite a lot of time."

"That's a creative way to measure time…" Kenichi muttered, and then raised his voice with another question, "So what do I practice this time? Am I going to beat you up or something?"

"Not quite, but close enough. I will be sitting here sipping on the tea. Your objective is to remove me from this chair before I finish my drink. Do you understand?"

"Hell ya! Let's go!"

Kenichi sent a sweeping kick at Akiko who only bent slightly below the attack to take a sip on the tea. When his foot landed harmlessly on the ground, the child followed through with a back kick with his other leg, which was blocked easily by Akiko's pinkie.

"What the!" he cried.

_It can't be. I can't be so weak that her pinkie could withstand the force of my kick. Is this an illusion?_

He tried again, this time with a flying kick that was aimed at Akiko's hand that was cupping the container of the tea at that moment. That way, it was a sure thing that she would intercept with her hand, perhaps her pinkie once again.

Yes, Akiko did stick out her pinkie again to block the kick, and with a flick, Kenichi was sent bouncing along the ground as he made a hard landing.

_I'm sure she used her pinkie, but how can she do that? If it were the other way around, I bet my finger bones would break at the moment of the impact!_

A front kick, side kick, sweeping tornado kick followed by a butterfly combo; all of which were stopped by Akiko's weak little finger. It was amazing as all she did was blocking with that single finger and drinking tea with her other hand, while Kenichi was sent bouncing around like a ball. Even when he basically ran and tried to body slam that finger onto the stone table, it was all the same, and he was sent flying into a tree behind him.

Actually, it was quite a wonder that Akiko managed to reserve her strength just enough so that Kenichi was never seriously hurt in the process. All he got was a bruise or two in very awkward parts of his body.

"Alright, time's up. It certainly is a cool day, isn't it? Such hot tea cooled down so easily!" Akiko taunted, or perhaps it was just Kenichi's ears. The boy bit his lips and found himself sticking his tongue behind his teacher's back as she retreated to the dojo building.

* * *

School finally ended. As Kenichi walked home, he realized how much he really missed his old school in Hinata City where he had plenty of friends…not to mention the newcomer Yuri. He could still remember her cute little face beside his desk, her unsure eyes peeking at him from the side. He could almost imagine her voice stuttering "ano…ano…ano…" which he thought was really funny. At that moment, Kenichi pulled out the silken bag with Yuri's note inside. Just when he was about to pull out the fragile piece of paper… 

"What the hell do you have in there, Urashima?" a young voice taunted while wiggling the silken bag around like a prize. Kenichi tried to calm down his anger, remembering how he must act more maturely than he usually did.

"May you please give it back to me?" Kenichi muttered as politely as he could.

"What the fuck's wrong with you? Aren't you a kenshi? You even have the word Ken in your name, haha! You certainly should be able to take this back by yourself, or are you just too weak to?" the bully continued to taunt, causing Kenichi to narrow his eyes into a warning glare.

"Give it back to me," he said in a more forceful manner, saying each word slowly and clearly with great emphasis.

"So you really are too weak?"

Before he received an answer, Kenichi was already on his stomach, gripping his hand so firmly that the bones were about to break. It weakened his grasp on the silken bag that fell limply to his side so that the young swordsman could pick it up.

Kenichi wanted to beat this guy up badly, but remembering that Shinmeiryuu is developed to protect human kind from evil, he withdrew his punch and walked away instead. Little did he expect the kid to yell from behind him.

"Don't fuck with me, Urashima!"

He didn't want to turn back, but the sound of a switch blade clicking in place alarmed him enough so that his steps slipped while he made a turn. It was too quick. He could only open his eyes widely at the incoming muscular figure whose rough hands were wrapped about the switch blade that was plummeting through the air in his direction.

_Shit!_

CLANG

In front of him were the white gi and red hakama of the Shinmeiryuu order, flowing beneath the raven ponytail that flung in a wide arc just a millimeter from him. That was how close she was to saving him…Akiko that is, of course.

"Obaasan…I mean…Akimoto-sensei!?" Kenichi exclaimed.

"Who gives about who she is, Maru! Shoot her already!" the bully cried.

The man called Maru, who Kenichi finally realized to look a bit too much like a gangster, broke the deadlock between Akiko's dagger and his switch blade. As he slid back to draw on the object in his back pocket, Akiko launched herself forward while placing her right hand over the dagger that rested limply in her left.

"BE CAREFUL AKIKO!!!"

If you were to pause time for that slight moment, you would see Akiko's right hand slipping the top dagger away from the bottom one the same way as she did in her first encounter with Kenichi. With the dagger resting on her palm, she calmly swept it in front of her, and as if by magic, the bullet came at the exact moment for it to be deflected by her movement.

But for everyone, it seemed like she had just cut the bullet, and before a second shot could come, her left hand, with the bottom dagger, had sliced through the gun with ease.

"Wha!? Akiko cut the bullet!?" Kenichi yelled as Maru backed off and actually ran away with the kid who was about to pee in his pants. The swordswoman reattached the two daggers and slipped them into her pocket.

"If you mean I cut the bullet after I heard the shot, then that's nonsense. Though sound travels really fast, it takes about 0.2 seconds for our nervous system to process that information and send a command to our motor system for a reaction to occur. Given that the distance between me and that man was about 3 meters, and that bullet traveled at about 300 meters per second, the time it takes for that bullet to hit me is one hundredth of a second. So, the lesson is, you must anticipate the position of the bullet before it is shot in order to make up for that time lag. Therefore, if that kid didn't mention a gun earlier, I would've been dead."

"Ah…" he replied, too stunned to say anything else.

* * *

_There is something about her that makes it seem like there is a halo of light surrounding her, engulfing her, giving me the glow I need to proceed on my road. Her words may bite me like the freezing winter wind, but that something reminds me of what is purpose, and that alone is the warmest hearth of them all._

_Yes…I'm talking about you, Akimoto-sensei… _

* * *

Motoko Aoyama: Yay! I finally finished the chapter! It actually took quite a while because I wanted it to be more exciting and natural in flow as opposed to the crap chapters I've been uploading previously. Hope you liked this changing Kenichi! Thanks for reading and please be so kind as to leave a review behind; be it constructive criticism, comments, suggestions, questions, etc. Anything other than flames is welcome! Also, check out Y.E.A.H. for a sneak peak of the next chapter as it becomes ready for viewing, and take a look at the summer special that has already been uploaded! Next chapter: She has to be strong. She has to continue her life so that his life can restart as well. Chapter 21 – Aoi no Senko. Motoko's sword will face the greatest enemy of them all, Kenjiro…no…her own future. 


	22. Aoi no Senko

Motoko Aoyama: Sorry for the late update. I know I really should update sooner, but my lost of interest really affected my writing speed. However, I'm happy to announce that reading Negima has helped me pick up my interest in this story again! Hopefully I'll be able to write better with this newfound enthusiasm. My thanks go to my reviewers: Motoko's one true love (Yuri actually means lily, but then there is that slang meaning…I was thinking of Yuri from Bara no Tameni when I gave her that name, lol), kidcrud, Zero-Nightmare (Motoko-chan is fine with me), Enigmaticknight, Lord Balmung, Wonderbee31, absolutechaosreigns and Konankt. Thanks again for the support!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, otherwise I would make Motoko the most kick-ass swordswoman ever! Wait…isn't she one already? ARIGATOU AKAMATSU-SENSEI!

* * *

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 21 – Aoi no Senko

* * *

It was the usual Hinatasou…well, usual as in how it had been for the past few days. Ever since Keitaro had returned, there had always been that invisible mask in the air. Kitsune stared back and forth between the residents, noting the way they were eating. Kenjiro was digging into his rice quickly and systematically as usual. She mused that he looked rather like a robot. On the other hand, Yuri was really taking her time, glancing at the others just as she was. Before the kid could catch her staring, the older female shifted her gaze onto Naru who was happily chatting with Keitaro, her rice untouched. The kanrinrin, however, seemed a bit strained, an awkward smile plastered on his face.

"I'm done. Thank you for the food," Motoko said, interrupting Kitsune from her thoughts. She leaned her head back to follow Motoko with her eyes, watching her walk around the table and into the kitchen to do her own dishes.

"Motoko-chan sure is tense lately, huh…a good match with Kenjiro," she said, hoping for a response from Naru. However, the woman just paused talking with the kanrinrin and blinked twice at the fox lady.

"Huh? Did you say something about Kenjiro?"

"Nevermind that…what did you say you were gonna do with Keitaro after breakfast?"

"We were just going to walk around for a bit," Naru answered, taking the kanrinrin by his hand while they left for the door. Keitaro was so surprised by her move that he forgot his shoes while he walked outside.

The fox sighed at the kanrinrin's clumsiness, but her fun ended quickly when she looked around, seeing nobody around.

"What in the world…EH!? Where are the others?"

She was only met by Yuri's voice.

"Sake is not good for your health, Mitsune-san," Yuri's words drifted off while she carried the wine bottle far, far away, "Try pop next time…"

Yes, that was the most important point. Kitsune's sake bottle was missing too!

"POP ISN'T FUCKING HEALTHY EITHER!!"

* * *

It turned out that Motoko and Kenjiro had gone onto the roof. While Motoko practiced swinging the Aoryuken once again, Kenjiro unsheathed his blade from behind her.

"Here I come!" he yelled, rushing in her direction. She nearly slipped while she tried to evade, surprised at his attack as he spoke again, "You were totally off guard! What have you been doing lately? Do you want to hand me the sakabatou like this?"

His sword was quick, slicing the air in front of her as her light steps sounded while she retreated across the roof. Reaching the railing, Motoko used the wood as her launching point, allowing her to jump above Kenjiro and land behind him, giving her enough time to attack. His reflexes were good though. Easily, his hand twisted the katana in his grasp so that it clanged onto the sheath of the Aoryuken.

"Not bad, but not enough," he muttered, "I can only become stronger if you are stronger as well!"

Motoko narrowed her eyes, sliding back in her steps with no hesitation. The distance allowed her to infuse her ki in her left palm so that when Kenjiro came once more, she locked their weapons and fired a bullet of energy at him.

Kenjiro gasped in surprise, but twisted his body quickly enough so that he avoided the hit. The slight pause of attack was enough for Motoko to close in of him, this time aiming to punch him with the Gurenken.

"HA…" Kenjiro panted while lashing out a whirl of ki to neutralize the energy. It was to no avail though. The sheath of the Aoryuken came plummeting forward with no reserve to follow up the attack. With his quick hand, he grabbed onto the saya, but it left him no hands to defend himself from Motoko's next attack. The swordswoman placed her left hand on his shoulder, her right leg around his ankle. While she dexterously flipped in the air, he was slammed onto the ground.

"That was…" he said, struggling to stand again.

"Ukigumo - Tsumuji Issen," she answered, but was not pausing between her words. She seemed to be on fire, her eyes only concentrated on victory. She spared no sympathy on her sparring partner as she leapt forward with a pierce. Kenjiro managed to ready himself into a battou-jutsu, but just when he drew the sword, Motoko's body twisted so abruptly that his eyes couldn't follow the movement.

It was not Shinmeiryuu…it was the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu!

"Ryu Kan Sen!" Motoko yelled, slamming the sheath onto the back of Kenjiro's neck. If not for the saya that sheathed the blade, Kenjiro would've lost his life.

"Sugoi…" Kenjiro muttered, still a bit dazed from the attack. He, nonetheless, continued to grasp onto his katana.

"Are you sure you want to continue?" Motoko voice resonated with a chilling quality. She wasn't just aiming for training…her sword was full of emotion. Each hit was like a slap in the face!

"Let's end this in one strike," Kenjiro answered, sheathing his sword again, "I'm sure I can hit you this time."

She closed her eyes, her mind concentrating on the whirling ki of her katana, but she felt not raw power. It was something gentler…like a whispering voice.

_Let go…let go…_

"AOI NO SENKO!" she yelled, looking at the path of Kenjiro's ki infused blade. She was going to lash the green light of the Aoryuken at that weak spot in his defense, but…

_Let go…let go…__ let go…let go…_

She pulled back on the power, instead just bringing the sheath to that point. His katana shook so much from the impact that it was flung out of Kenjiro's grasp. The voice was silenced. Her emotions calmed, just like her blade that didn't even quiver as it stayed on his shoulder, lightly…

"That was good practice. Arigatou, Kenjiro," Motoko said, smiling genuinely for the first time in quite a while. After that, she placed her sword back on her belt, "Shall we go? Yuri might've prepared some drinks for us as she usually does."

* * *

The sand was golden in his hands, shining in the afternoon sunlight. While he relaxed his fingers, the sparkling particles drained out like water slipping down a sink. It was just as he had remembered from his dream, but like in his reminiscence, he felt like a stranger in the playground.

"Do you remember our yakusoku now, Keitaro?" Naru asked, building a statue of Liddo-kun with the sand. Keitaro shook his head a little. Yes, he understood Naru's story of her promise, but in the back of his mind, that voice continued to ring.

_Yakusoku…yakusoku…_

Naru's promise was Naru's promise, but he was sure his was something different. Subconsciously, he shifted his gaze onto a cherry blossom tree beside them, still bare from the winter cold. For some reason, he really yearned for them to bloom again.

It was the sakura that made him feel complete inside.

* * *

Motoko Aoyama: Sorry for the short chapter. I somewhat ran out of ideas again at this moment, so instead of trying to drag the story on with more useless descriptions, I decided to leave it here. Sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you liked it anyway! Please, please, please tell me how I did! I really need your support! Any comments, suggestions, constructive criticism are welcome! As long as you're not flaming me, I would be very, very happy to hear what you have to say! Next Installment: His wish finally comes true. The sakura blooms again. Chapter 22 – Flower Watching. Look forward to it!


	23. Flower Watching

**Seigetsu Ren: **Hi all. It's been a while. I've even changed my penname. I think it's been almost three years since I last updated. Anyway, I am determined to finish writing my stories, so hopefully you'll have resolve to finish reading them too. Yosh! First, let me thank my reviewers Rutilus 'Two-Hands' Obscurum, tsaieric, mysterman2000, Fanf1cFan, Zero-Nightmare, ninja hampster, Lord Balmung, GodsFailedCreation, embloasochist, kidcrud, Sentiment Remains, and Wonderbee31. Thanks for all the comments! Once again, I do agree with your concerns for Kenichi's characterization, which I'll try my best to correct in the future chapters. I was immature (and still is to some extent) when I wrote _Another Promise_ and much of the earlier chapters of this sequel, so reading back, there are many things I'd like to edit to make this story flow better, in terms of both plot and writing style. I'll probably go over the entire work after this is complete, which would be…who knows when, haha. Either way, I still hope you'll continue to enjoy the story and please provide me with further feedback so I can develop as a writer. Thanks!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Love Hina_, because I'm poor, unlike Akamatsu-sensei.

* * *

**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 22 – Flower Watching

* * *

Slender branches, purple leaves, topped with small pink buds. The trees in front of Hinatasou began to lose their starkness as the air warmed to the incoming spring. Day by day, more sakura bloomed, giving the world colours it lacked during the winter. Motoko breathed in the fresh air as she swung her sword down on her daily routine, the sweetness mingled with her sweat that dripped down her forehead. Before she brought down her next swing, she felt a presence behind her. Kenjiro? No. She felt not any will to fight. The wind on her back was not obscured by the person's height. It could only be Yuri.

"Yuri-chan, what's the matter?" Motoko asked, placing her sword back on her belt. The little girl walked up to the swordswoman and presented her with a towel. Her other hand was holding a bottle of water.

"Motoko-san, breakfast is ready. Mitsune-san said that there is something important to discuss, so please do attend the meal."

Thanking Yuri, Motoko took the towel, wiped her sweat, then took a gulp of water before speaking, "Of course I would. I just couldn't believe that breakfast would be prepared so early. I was about to cook. Did you take over my job?"

"I merely helped Kanrinrin-san. It was not difficult at all," Yuri said politely, "I will tell the others that you will be coming soon."

After Yuri left, Motoko took a quick shower and changed into a sweater and a pair of jeans. She still remembered how as a teenager, she had always worn only her gi and hakama, but as she grew older, she began to discover that strength wasn't about what you wore, or even your bloodline. Strength stemmed from physical and mental training. Anyone could become strong if he possessed a strong will. Will, itself, was what fed the ki, which in turn fed your blade. Regardless of how great a sword was, how great a style was, they could only be powerful if the will was powerful.

Coming to that understanding, Motoko descended the stairs to the ground floor, fully aware of the mentality she must hold. She slid the chair out gently in front of her and took a seat as she spoke with an unusual guest at the early morning meal. "Rare that you'd be up so early, Mitsune," she stated plainly. The fox smiled playfully, chopsticks pointing at the warrior.

"Something important is coming up, so I ought to wake early!"

"Put your chopsticks down. It's rude, don't be a bad model for Yuri."

"Alright, alright," Mitsune's voice trailed off. They all said thanks for their food before digging in. Numerous times the fox-woman wanted to bring something up, but Yuri would put her finger up to her mouth and smile, signaling for the adult to be quiet. Mitsune really was an immature brat at heart; she was less aware of proper table etiquette than Yuri, who was only five.

"So, everybody done?" Motoko asked. Everyone nodded, placing their utensils on the table. Keitaro started to gather the plates, but Yuri insisted on helping, so the talk began as they were making trips to the sink, "Mitsune, what do you want to say? You've been holding it back for a long time, right?"

"If not for Yuri, I would've blabbed it out long ago!"

"I don't think you should be proud to say that, Kitsune," Naru said. Even Kenjiro had to chuckle at the joke.

"Don't mind me, okay. I'm really excited. Guess! Guess what I'm excited about?"

"When it comes to Kitsune, it's wine, food, money, or men. Which one is it? Or maybe all of them combined?" Naru blabbed out bluntly.

"Don't make me sound like an incarnate of the seven sins! This is something that you all should be excited about. Say, when you think of March, you think of…?"

"The end of February?" Motoko said.

"How uncreative! Next!"

"Two more months of work till Golden Week?" Kenjiro ventured a guess, but was cut off harshly by Kitsune.

"NONONO! Every week is Golden Week for me anyways, so why do you think I'd care?"

"Then I guess Shunbun no Hi won't be the reason, since Mitsune-san works at home," Yuri said sadly, but Kitsune smiled.

"No, Yuri-chan, you're very close. Say, do you know why we have the holiday, Shunbun no Hi? What's important about it?"

"The textbook answer would be admiration of nature, but I somehow sense that this has to tie into alcohol in your perspective," Naru said knowingly, "Don't tell me it's flower watching, because we all know you just want to eat and drink and gouge our wallets out with your stomach."

"Bingo!" Mitsune exclaimed amidst faces falling onto open palms. Keitaro and Yuri re-emerged from the kitchen, carrying dessert with them. Mitsune quickly grabbed her bowl and dug in while the two took their seats.

"Flower-watching…" Keitaro said absentmindedly, thinking of the pink blossoms in his dreams, drifting, dancing in the sunlight, "…I think it would be nice."

Motoko couldn't help but feel a pang of pain as she heard what the kanrinrin had said; sakura meant a lot to the two of them, yet his current memories of them were probably just a distant, unsure feeling. But the way his voice quivered at the notion of the idea gave the swordswoman hope – at least Keitaro realized the importance of this season; certainly, eventually, he'd remember.

"I think so too, Kanrinrin-san. I'd love to go if Father, Mother, and Motoko-san are willing," Yuri replied with a smile. Motoko nodded lightly.

"Then let's head to Tokyo for the flowers! It's a lot merrier in the crowd than stuck here in this little hot springs town," Mitsune chimed happily with her ever-closed eyes forming two thin crescents.

"Or is it more like the more drunkards like you the merrier, Mitsune? Well, I'm not opposed to the idea though; I'd love to go for yozakura at Ueno to complete my life experience in this region," Kenjiro added.

"So long as Kitsune's sake bill isn't on me," Naru sighed as though the turn of events couldn't be helped. Everyone chuckled at her reaction.

* * *

"So yozakura it is, huh?" Naru said in a sarcastic tone, staring at skies maddened with red of the falling sun. Even though it was Kitsune's idea to go flower-watching in Tokyo, she was also the one to wake up late, causing them to be crammed in the train during the heaviest traffic of the day. She was glad to breathe in fresh air after the suffocating ride, but staring into the distance where the sakura petals were but a fade pink in the dominating colour of clouds above, Naru wished that she could've just abandoned Kitsune earlier this morning.

"Hana yori dango!" Kitsune shouted much to Naru's exasperation, "Speaking of dango, did you bring them with you, Yuri-chan?"

The little girl nodded, patting the backpack she was wearing backwards over her chest so as to ensure the contents were safe during the rough train ride, "I did. Hopefully they didn't get cooked in the temperature of the train car just now."

Motoko couldn't help but nod in agreement, sweat trickling down her brow to trace the line of her jaw. Mitsune didn't seem to care for the condition of the dango; perhaps as long as they were edible, she would be contented.

"What else did you bring? Sakuramochi?" Kitsune asked excitedly, hopping towards Ueno Park in the distance.

"I thought Hinamatsuri has passed…and if I remember correctly, I did make sakuramochi with Kanrinrin-san at that time," Yuri mumbled much to Kitsune's discontent.

"Then what about hanabiramochi? You can't go flower-watching without those," Kitsune grumbled.

"Yes, you can! This is not the beginning of the year, for Kami-sama's sake. Seriously, what's with your mochi obsession today?" Naru snapped.

Kitsune continued whining, rubbing her legs and hands together while she was at it. Needless to say, it drew them a degree of attention, and Naru was not at all happy about that.

While they continued walking towards the park, the light in the skies grew dimmer, leaving golden traces behind as night began to set. Coming closer to where the flower-watching parties had gathered under the foliage of lush sakura rows, they became guided by thousands of lanterns swaying gently in the breeze from their places high on branches. Yuri was entranced by the sight; it was the first time she had seen anything like it. In the past, flower-watching had always been done during the day at the Kamiya Dojo, often just in the company of her grandfather, Shinji. To think that she would be standing here in Tokyo with her parents by her sides; even though it was not a perfect family, the feeling was still like a dream.

As they all stared at the beautiful scene ahead, Motoko stole a glance at Keitaro whose eyes, like Yuri's, seemed distant, resting in the midst of the pink petals soaring like snow. But somehow, those dark orbs of the kanrinrin seemed lacking compared to his former light, hollow, hard, devoid of his past depth of emotions. What was he thinking? What was he remembering? Or rather, what did he feel he was forgetting, which was the missing piece he yearned to piece in the puzzle that was now his mind? Motoko wanted to read his soul from those eyes, but she noticed that all she was seeing was her own reflection on his irises. Taking a deep breath, she filled herself with the sweet flowers' scent; have patience…it would come to Keitaro eventually – she must give him time.

When Motoko snapped out of her thoughts, she noticed how awfully quiet their surroundings had suddenly become. There was something wrong with this picture…wait, where was Kitsune?

"Kitsune?" Naru asked, seemingly noticing her absence at the same time as Motoko. Kenjiro scanned his eyes to the side, only to find the fox lady lying on a tarp under a tree in the middle of what seemed like somebody else's party.

"What are you doing, Konno?" Kenjiro hollered, using the woman's surname intentionally in hopes of disclaiming familiarity with her. Kitsune turned slowly in his direction, blinked, and laughed.

"Oh, do join us, Kenjiro! Don't be shy!"

"Excuse me, do you know you just crashed somebody else's party? And you're drinking their sake too? What the hell are you thinking?"

"Haha…somebody else's party? I'm not blind, ya know?" Kitsune's slurred voice dragged on, "This is my editor Takamura, not just somebody I picked up randomly from this place, although I'm sure my healthy assets can do a good job of that too, teeheehee…"

Kitsune grabbed her own breasts proudly while the man she claimed to be her editor gave a weak smile, correcting her that his name was Takazawa. Kenjiro threw his face in his palms, wondering just how the heck Kitsune could become drunk in the span of seconds.

"At least she's enjoying herself," Motoko said, turning her attention back to Yuri who still seemed dazed at the amazing sight, "Should we go set up too? I don't think Yuri-chan is at the age of joining such a…mature party yet."

Naru was about to agree, but seeing the moon slowly climb up the cloud layers, she remembered something important.

"Motoko-chan, I think there is a place I can show Keitaro to help him remember some things. Mind if we excuse ourselves for a bit? We'll rejoin the party later. Just keep your cell phones turned on and I'll give you a ring when we're done."

It was difficult for Motoko to answer her request, but she understood how deep emotions had run between Keitaro and Naru in the past. It was obvious which answer was most beneficial for Keitaro, but even so, her lips went dry when she tried to utter a reply.

"Kanrinrin-san, would you like to go with Naru-sempai? I'll make sure we save some food for the two of you," Motoko said.

Keitaro's eyes widened at how a flash of suffering crossed Motoko's usually calm countenance, her brows temporarily furrowed, eyes lowered, and lips pursed tightly as though she struggled to breathe. But it was only a moment. Motoko turned to meet his concerned gaze with a certainty to her words, bidding him to do as he wished. Though he could remember little of this woman, Keitaro somehow felt that her permission was necessary for his departure. He cared about how she felt, subconsciously, and didn't want to hurt her, but logically, he knew that he was hurting everyone close to him if he continued to be incapable of recalling his former self.

Keitaro nodded affirmatively, giving Motoko assurance that he was trying his best to remember everything. This woman was important to him, he just couldn't figure out how. He would find out and tell her…tell her that she would not have to worry about him again.

"Then I'll be in your care, Naru-san," Keitaro said, following the blonde woman's lead, away from the park and disappearing into the crowds of Tokyo. Motoko ripped her gaze from their figures that grew smaller with distance, holding onto Yuri's hand to bring her in the opposite direction. Just when Kenjiro was about to follow, he was yanked down onto the tarp beside Kitsune.

"You're mine tonight, muahahahaha!" the fox lady laughed evilly, the sound of which rang off into the starlit skies. _"And there is no way I'd let you change Motoko's heart about Keitaro; those two belong to each other, something that the likes of you may not understand, but I saw them fall in love with my eyes, so I know better." _

_

* * *

_

A short walk to the train station, another stuffy ride, and then more walking amidst the crowds led them to the relative calmness of Tokyo University's Yasuda auditorium. The famous campus was usually packed with students, but the elegant clock-tower of red-brown brick, spires that seemed to reach the skies, were not tinged with the blossoms that everyone was trying to view that night. The tall structure merely stood there solemnly under the moonlight, casting a fuzzy shadow beneath their feet as the two people's eyes admired the simple lines and symmetry that created something so grand. Naru danced ahead of Keitaro, kicking off in the grass and dew while her dress whirled by her knees. She held up her hand as high as she could so that it would obscure her own vision of the building's peak shall she glance through her fingers.

"Do you remember?" she asked lightly. Keitaro didn't answer her, his mind finding a connection with this scene. He knew this place; seeing it made him remember that every brick, every mark, each hand on the clock face itself were etched somewhere in his memories, but at the same time, everything seemed distant as though they never belonged to him.

"Something that was important to me, that I wanted to hold in this hand," Keitaro finally said after a long pause, reaching up to the tower as Naru did and clasping his fingers together, "But it is only an illusion that it has been in my grasp; in reality, I have never felt the texture of the bricks upon my palms. It's not something real, so it was only a matter of time that I'd give up on such a dream."

Naru bit her lips. Why? Why, of all things, did he have to remember that he had once given up on his dream of coming to Toudai? The promise he recalled…was it not the promise he had with her during their childhood? The golden sands in her hands, the calm light filtering through lush canopies to cast their mild rays upon their small forms…were they not important to Keitaro, even though they still were an integral part of who Naru thought she was?

"Only a dream?" Naru questioned, each word spoken slowly through her clenched teeth. The warmth of her breath against her own lips made her feel that she had lost all her body heat to the night; her hope dissipated like water seeping through the cracks of her fingers, slowly, unknowingly, just dripping away and leaving only trace dampness. Before she knew it, the metaphor became reality as she felt her own tears fall upon her skin, cold and unforgiving.

"Naru-san, gomennasai," Keitaro uttered, almost wanting to steady Naru's quivering form with a hand on her shoulder. But somehow, he held back, forming a fist by his thigh while he looked away to preserve Naru's dignity. The woman wiped her eyes and didn't bother understanding his actions, only accusingly stating her feelings.

"What are you apologizing for, Kanrinrin-san? You have done nothing wrong in saying what you've said; as least nothing that you can recognize as a mistake."

"As I've guessed then, Naru-san," Keitaro replied, returning his eyes on Naru's angry glare. The woman couldn't help but lower her eyes in shame when met with the man's gentle gaze. Why did he have to treat her so kindly despite everything she put him through, again, and again, and again? Her mind was a whirl when the man continued, "I know there are many people who care about me. These people, including you Naru-san, must've meant a lot to me in the past, and I must mean a lot to them too. It is not difficult to imagine the pain I've put all of you through by forgetting our mutual memories, which is why I'm trying as hard as possible to remember all of them, or even if that is not possible, to build a new story with each one of you. I know I'm not perfect; I must've hurt you at some point, and bringing up the topic insensibly is nothing other than a mistake. For that, I am sorry; it is not because of what I've done in the past, what I can no longer remember but must have had a reason for, but in apology for bringing up the pain at this very moment. Please forgive my lack of consideration."

The man bowed. Naru was caught off-guard as he stared at his exposed back while he bent towards the ground. He was not sorry for what he had done to her. He was not sorry for any of the choices he had once made. To this Keitaro in front of her, Toudai, sandbox, their childhood and young adulthood at Hinatasou were not important; as much as this man seemed completely different from the man he once knew, there was also an uncanny similarity. Those years of trying and failing the university examinations had brought a new outlook, a new maturity to Urashima Keitaro; it had already been a long time since he had grown out of the kid Naru once loved. Did it take that long for her to realize that?

The man who gave up on silly illusions and grasped onto something concrete…

The man who gave up on her for a solid happiness that only Aoyama Motoko managed to give him…

This was the man, Urashima Keitaro. Not the dream Naru tried to cling onto, but the real thing.

"I don't know if I can accept that," Naru whispered sadly, shaking her head, "Please give me some time."

Keitaro nodded, "I will. And Naru-san too, please give me some time. I want to remember you, but at the same time, I want to learn more about the person you now are."

Clutching herself against the chilly wind that had since picked up ferocity as the night deepened, Naru closed her eyes, screaming in her mind: _Why do you always have to say such kind things to me? Can't you just point it straight out to me how much of an idiot I am? If you don't do that, I won't be able to help myself…falling in love with this new you all over again._

_

* * *

_

Yuri wrapped her fingers around the cup of green tea, enjoying the warmth that its steam delivered as the fragrance tickled her nose. The sakura were like glowing wings of light violet in the luminescence of the blue-shaded moon, flickering against the yellow lantern light that filled the surroundings with a festive atmosphere. Loud chatter, heat of the crowd, taste of her own hand-made dango in her mouth; she felt at ease here, almost like she were loved.

"Yuri-chan, you've been munching on the dango for ten minutes already. If you keep food in your mouth for too long, you'll get cavities very easily," Motoko teased. Yuri was startled by the voice beside her, almost choking on the dango before she managed to swallow them in one gulp despite her esophagus' complains.

"You surprised me, Motoko-san. I almost choked to death!"

"You alright? Here, have a bit of tea to help it get to your stomach," Motoko instructed. Yuri sipped on the hot liquid which quickly made her feel better.

"Thank you very much. I feel fine now."

"My, my…you don't have to be so polite, Yuri-chan. Everybody who lives at Hinatasou is like family, and of course, that includes you too."

Family…

…such a foreign word.

But being with Motoko, Kitsune, Keitaro, and her parents, living at the small inn on the top of a small hot springs town; all these made her almost certain that her dream was coming true.

"Motoko-san, I don't know if it's alright with you, but I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Of course. Ask away."

"Is it okay to want to live happily ever after, like those fairy tale princesses? I want something like that, but am I too selfish? I don't want to always act like a spoilt child; I'd get scolded."

Motoko held Yuri close, ruffling her hair with her large hands, "Silly, if Yuri is a spoilt child, I don't know what to say about Kenichi. Do you have any idea how much I envy your parents for raising such a wonderful child as yourself? If only I could go back in time, I'd be stricter with Kenichi and send him off to my devilish Ane-ue as soon as he can walk."

Yuri looked confused at the string of things that Motoko said, but seeing the elder smile, she couldn't help but grin. At that time, Naru and Keitaro were in the short distance, about to rejoin their party while hulling a very drunk Kitsune and a tired-looking Kenjiro behind them.

"I'm going to tell you a secret, just between the two of us," Motoko said to the child before the others were about to arrive, "You have worked hard for so long already, now it's time to be selfish and get yourself spoiled by your parents' love. Don't believe me? Well, they're coming back now, so what makes you think that they would leave you behind again?"

Yes. Yuri saw, with her own eyes, that both her parents were coming back at this very moment. Despite whatever they might each be thinking, the sight of the girl brought a smile to their faces. An act of kindness? Yuri was not innocent, and such a tainted thought could not help but seep into her mind. But never before did they even pretend to love her; real or not, this new family was something she wanted to enjoy for as long as it lasted.

"Otousan, the turtles on your face are cute. Did Mitsune-san draw that?" Yuri asked happily much to everyone's laughter. Kenjiro scowled.

"At least you like it, Yuri. It's all good."

* * *

**Explanatory notes:**

Golden Week – string of Japanese public holidays, including Showa Day on Apr. 29, Constitution Memorial Day on May 3, Greenery Day on May 4, and Children's Day on May 5.

Shunbun no Hi – Vernal Equinox Day, held on March 20 or 21 depending on the time the equinox lands on that particular year. Technically a holiday to celebrate natural and living things, it really was repackaged from the previously Shinto-related holiday, Shunki Koureisai (honours past emperors and Imperial family members), upon the end of the Second World War.

Yozakura – literally "night sakura"

Ueno Park – public park in the Ueno section of Taitou, Tokyo. Popular flower-watching spot.

Hana yori dango – Kitsune didn't mean to say the name of that manga, but what she said was 花より団子, literally "dumplings over flowers", a proverb describing people who would rather eat and drink over admiring the flowers. The dumplings for this occasion, hanami dango, differs from those eaten during moon-viewing in that they are skewered in threes, with the top being pink (symbolize the sakura of spring), middle being white (symbolize remnants of winter snow), and bottom being green (symbolize the yomogi tree of coming summer).

Sakuramochi – confectionery made from rice flour batter wrapped over sweet bean filling. Comes in two broad style: the Kansai style uses glutinous rice flour while Kanto style uses white rice flour. The dumplings are wrapped with pieces of pickled sakura leaves, thus giving its name. Often consumed on Hinamatsuri.

Hinamatsuri – Japanese Doll Festival on March 3. Originated during the Heian period during which it was believed dolls warded off bad spirits, and there were customs during which they were set afloat to carry off troubles with them. Now, this day is when people prayed for the healthy growth of female children; comparable to Girls' Day.

Hanabiramochi – confectionery made from flat, round mochi layer, folded in half to form a semi-circle, one side open, with sweet bean filling and flavored burdock within. Usually consumed during New Years. Derived from an Imperial dessert, hishihanabira, eaten at around the same time of the year.

Yasuda auditorium – site of that famous clock tower from the show on Toudai's Hongou campus.

* * *

**Seigetsu Ren: **Thanks for reading. You know the drill…please leave a comment behind, regardless of how short or long, how little or much you'd like to praise or complain about this. Any feedback would be gladly accepted, constructive is even better! Once again, sorry for the long wait. Hopefully the next chapter would come shortly. Cheers.

For more on my stories' update status, feel free to check my profile or my xanga blog linked to that page.


	24. Challenge

**Seigetsu Ren: **Somehow, I can only manage to update my fanfiction when I have exams (sweatdrops). Anyway, my thanks go to reviewers Love Hina Fan-101, Zero-Nightmare, Fanf1cFan, humilityhehe, emblasochist, Wonderbee31, Lord Balmung, and Thowell3. It means a lot to me to know that there are people following this even with my three-year-hiatus. Thank you very much and please enjoy the story.

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Disclaimer: I wish I were half as good as Akamatsu-sensei in drawing. Unfortunately, I'm not. I doubt my manga would ever sell…

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 23 – Challenge

* * *

_What is strength?_

Motoko thought as she brought down her katana, neatly slicing a stray cherry blossom petal in half. It was a question she had often asked herself since she was young, but the answer could never be found. Was it merely defeating an opponent in swordplay? Was it dedication towards practising the art each day? With each stroke, she tried to come closer to a conclusion, but ultimately, she admitted that she didn't understand.

And more importantly, why did she yearn for strength?

What was she trying to protect?

At this, her blade lingered; the flower petal fluttered in the wind of her stroke, danced by the metal edge, before drifting away from her reach. A hundred swings today, a hundred yesterday, almost a million in her lifetime now. But the purpose of all that was still unclear to her. Himura Shinji had told her that the sakabatou was a blade meant to protect, yet as its bearer, she could not label anything under her protection.

No, she had things to protect, that was why she desired strength.

She knew that much.

But she couldn't answer whether her way of protection was correct.

The teenage Aoyama Motoko would've brought up her blade and slashed mercilessly in the wind to clear her own confusion, but this Motoko was no longer the same young girl of the past. She sheathed her blade and sighed, sending a waft of steam into the unusually cold morning air.

"Aoyama-san, is something bothering you?" a voice sounded behind her. She turned to see Keitaro standing there.

"Motoko is fine, Kanrinrin-san," she said, hoping he would get out of the habit of calling her by her maiden name. When Keitaro chuckled nervously, scratching his head, she added, "But you may call me whatever you are comfortable with. I trust your judgement."

Keitaro looked into the woman's grey-green irises and, for a brief moment, seemed to see the colours stir with emotion. The swordsmaster broke their mutual gaze, turning to lean onto the railing and stare out at the town laid below them. The shadow of her flying hair flickered across the rooftop, long, slender silhouettes under the narrowly-angled sunlight of dawn. The golden gleam made her crimson hakama glow, but instead of feeling warm from the flaming hue, Keitaro felt desolation in looking at the fabric ruffle back and forth without anybody's notice. A pang of pain hit his heart. He didn't understand why, but he felt the urge to embrace her.

But he couldn't. It wouldn't be fair for her. It wouldn't be fair for either of them. No matter what their relationship was in the past, the current him knew next to nothing about this woman. Even if he held her now, he could not guarantee to do so again. This was just a split second's instinct after all.

And he was afraid…

...that he didn't understand this woman at all.

What if his actions only hurt her further? Just like how his words slipped with Naru on the night of hanami. For some reason, he wanted to be more delicate in Motoko's case. The more considerate she was of him, the more space she gave him, the more tolerant she had been towards all his actions, the more he worried that she was really hiding her true feelings. He did not know how to interact with her; he did not know how to protect her.

"Then, Motoko…-san," he uttered her name, but decided to add a polite suffix in the end for safe measure, "Please call me Keitaro. And if anything is bothering you, please let me know."

"I am feeling fine. I am not suffering from any sickness. Thank you for your concern, Keitaro-san," Motoko decided to say after a moment's hesitation. There was a lot in her mind, all about the man in front of her, but she couldn't just tell him everything and lay the blames on him. He didn't remember anything. He couldn't shoulder her worries either way.

She told herself that Keitaro's well-being was all she wanted. All she protected, all she desired to shoulder. Kenichi was under good care. Hinatasou was tended by all the residents. There was nothing else to complain about this life.

But even when Motoko smiled, Keitaro didn't feel reassured. The thin, slightly curved lips; they were what he saw with his eyes, but there was no depth behind the beautiful, scarlet shapes. An empty countenance. Hollow expression. So shallow, so meaningless, like a dragonfly dipping into water but not daring to dive. He wanted her to truly be happy, because like a fleeting dream, her real smile lingered somewhere in his mind; he knew it well, and wanted to see it again.

"I will take your word for it then," Keitaro said, "But I'm not feeling very well, believe it or not." Motoko gasped, eyes widened. She looked shocked, walking up to him and reaching towards his forehead, only to withdraw her hand at the last second. He could still feel her warmth where she would've touched, but her fingers were no longer there, now clenching a fist by her side. "I think you've misunderstood, Motoko-san. It's really nothing. My body has just been feeling heavy as of late. I think I need more exercise."

Motoko relaxed, heaving a sigh though still clenching her fist; Keitaro would've sworn that she clenched it even tighter for a moment before letting go. "In that case, I think you should start exercising from today onwards. You should take care of your health; it'd be troublesome for the tenants if you were to fall sick."

"I have no protests towards what you just said, haha," Keitaro laughed off the comment, still scratching his head. Motoko wondered if she should tell him it was bad for his scalp. "If you don't mind, Motoko-san, would you like to teach me how to use a sword?"

Motoko blinked, a little taken back by his suggestion. Then, she smiled a smile from deep down in her heart, "I am a harsh teacher though."

"I expected that. Judging from your graceful strokes, I know you must've undergone rigorous training."

"I would not praise myself with the word 'graceful', but training was certainly rigorous. I will not go easy on you either."

She handed him the hilt of her blade. When their hands crossed, Keitaro felt that she was no longer as lonely as she had seemed.

* * *

Motoko was not the only one wondering what was strength.

Such a question was central to all who practised the sword arts. It was the ultimate conclusion all swordsmen tried to come to, an endpoint to their studies, a reason to give to all their past work.

Of course, Kenichi did not understand the significance of such a question. It would take him yet many years to appreciate the importance of asking this.

But even he had to ask, why was Akiko so much stronger than him in every sense of the word? Sure, she was a lot bigger than him, she was a lot more experienced and trained, but there must be something else. He had been working hard these past few weeks, servicing the dojo, working on his punches and kicks, but he was still missing something. He felt his muscles building, speed increasing, yet Akiko could still defeat him so easily.

He expected her to defeat him, just not in the exact same way. She was telling him that he wasn't progressing.

"Hey Akimoto," he called to the stirring figure of the young woman sleeping in a futon on the other side of the room. As Akiko had sworn, she was staying with Kenichi to monitor his behaviour, something that the boy did not appreciate but could only silently accept.

"Manners, Kenichi…especially when you're waking someone up at three in the morning," Akiko mumbled, "What is it?"

"Not to be rude or anything, but your training isn't really working, huh? I've been going at it for over a month now, and you still beat me in exactly the same way everyday. Is your pinkie made of steel?"

Akiko wanted to laugh bitterly at the way Kenichi spoke. _Not to be rude, huh? _She thought to herself. There was still a long way in his training. She really wondered how Kenichi grew up to be the nasty little boy he was…Kitsune's bad influence combined with his parents' lenience perhaps. She secretly knew that Motoko had a weakness for kids.

"Strength doesn't just mean physical prowess. You must know how to utilize the powers you have before you can accomplish anything."

Kenichi looked up at the ceiling, then back at Akiko whose eyes were already closed again, breathing softly as though drifting once more to sleep. He squatted by her side and pulled her hand out from the sheets.

"What are you doing now, Boy? As I said, it is three in the morning. Things can wait till the sun is up."

"Don't mind me. I'm just observing."

_It is good that you are keen on learning from me, but I can't sleep when you're dragging my hand up like this… _Akiko thought with a sigh.

"My hand is normal, if that's what you're trying to survey. And no, it's not made of steel."

"But your skin is thick, and hard."

The way Kenichi said that made Akiko understand he meant it as a compliment. But Akiko gave an inward chuckle at the irony. This was not usually something you'd say to a girl.

"You mean callused. Please choose your words with more care."

"Sorry, didn't know that word. Vocab is not my strong point."

_I can see that, _Akiko thought. Another area of improvement needed, otherwise, he'd shame Kyoto's name as one of Japan's major cultural centres.

"So? Done looking? If you'd now excuse me, I'd like to return to sleep. I do not wish to be late for morning training."

"Sorry again for keeping you up. I'm good now," he said, letting go of her hand. Akiko was somewhat curious about Kenichi's findings, as he was now staring at the shouji, deep in thought. But she kept silent. Something about his rising ki told her that he would soon find the answer to the question he asked; at least an answer that would satisfy him for now.

"Utilize the power, huh?" Kenichi mumbled. He needed to think about this alone. With that, he slipped out of the room and wandered down the empty halls, tapping his fingers by his sides. As Akiko had said, her hand was completely normal. Sure, it was a swordswoman's hand, but nothing peculiar; just callused, thick, hard, lean without an extra ounce of fat. But still, there should be no way she could intercept his kick with a single finger; wouldn't her bones break?

Ki. Must be. She had to have used it to give so much power to that weak point on her limb. That was not the complete answer though. Kenichi had tried putting more ki to his strikes as well; at least partially, the power should've neutralized.

He replayed her movements in his head again and again. Even though she always seemed completely still when she intercepted his attacks, it wasn't entirely true.

She moved, very slightly, away from the attack. It would seem like he pushed her in that direction during impact, but he couldn't recall resistance.

"I…didn't push her. She just moved away?"

Her pinkie bent, her hand moved back, along with it, her arm. That swift, fluid, flawless movement; it was something Kenichi couldn't replicate, but certainly something he could start learning.

Offence by defence, attack by backing away. Use not your own strength, but an opponent's. Deflect instead of resist. Softness against brute force.

That's the final lesson he needed here in this building.

"Oyaji, keep going and don't give up. This son of yours, too, have learned how to be strong!"

With that, Kenichi headed for the corridor at the back of the building.

* * *

**Seigetsu Ren:** Thanks for reading. Please leave a comment behind. Questions, suggestions, or even simple notes telling me you've come across this story are highly appreciated. Until next time.


	25. Guardian of Strength

**Seigetsu Ren: **Not bad, I managed to come around to updating this after just…a summer. (Sweatdrops). Anyway, hope the writing practice over the past few months and long, hard brainstorming for better ideas have result in some progress with my skill. Enjoy.

A big thanks to Lord Balmung, Zero-Nightmare, Fanf1cFan, Love Hina Fan-101, and Wonderbee31 for staying with me despite slow updates. I'll continue to try my best.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina. If you want to read something I actually own, shoot me an email (shameless advertisement, haha)

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**Forgotten Promise**

Chapter 24 – Guardian of Strength

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The old door creaked open. Each step he took depressed the wooden floorboards, leaving uneasy cracks on the uneven surface. He could barely see them though. The candle light behind him flickered, casting only a dim orange glow that reached, at most, five strides into the enclosed corridor. His shaking hand subconsciously reached for the granite wall on his side, brushing the rough, grey construct for a sense of assurance. Unlike the floor, it didn't give away, holding strong once you reached past the thick layer of dust and cobwebs. Ancient, but nonetheless reliable, the feeling steadied his heartbeat to a deep, thumping rhythm.

Then the door closed. Suddenly, swinging shut with a bang. He whirled around, hakama snapping the wind, cold sweat creeping down his exposed nape. He was about to walk backwards, to check if his only exit, too, had been robbed, but at that moment…

Something swift tumbled towards him. Not just swift, but heavy, the wind literally pushed him backwards. Hastily, he lowered his stance, thin, boyish arms reaching out into the pitch darkness in hopes of stopping what was coming. It came closer, fast, too fast for him to think properly. Just a second and it would intercept him. His teeth chattered at just the thought; whatever approached was possibly dozens of times his own weight. He could not see it, but the rumble it created by just pushing through air, the slapping gale that only grew stronger, tearing into his parched face…

...it was big, so big that it could snap his arms like twigs and send him flying through the door behind him.

Behind him. Move back. Fast. Along with what was coming. The sound he heard was not just air, but also taut rope snaked across timber, rubbing, grinding. This was a pendulum. The heavy object was not a projectile, it was the mass of a pendulum.

He shifted his steps back, sliding, but the pendulum eventually caught up with him. The force at that point dissipated to an almost gentle push against his wide-opened palms. He collapsed his arms at the elbows, greedily embracing all of the power coming his way. He literally hugged the mass, a tree trunk thick as the length of his arm, letting it shove his rice straw sandals against the rugged ground below. The friction burned, but the speed finally decreased. Almost like a vacuum, the log tore him forward, at first slow, then gaining speed to suck him into what seemed like oblivion. He gripped hard on the bark and climbed to the top, riding the ripping waves of air and black shadows. It only got darker as the log swerved downwards to a pit in the ground; he knew it was a pit because he no longer felt the rebounding wind off the ancient, wooden floor. What lay below, he didn't know, he just knew it was deep, too deep, seemingly bottomless. Far into the corridor, the log began swinging upwards. He expected to see the earthen wall on the other side of the pit, but it was not there; the ground continued dipping like the basin of an empty rift lake. The velocity was coming down, he was ascending almost to the ceiling, but there was no landing in sight.

Chikara, strength, the style of strength…

Not just to gain it, but to utilize it. That was the purpose of his training.

Not just his duels with Akiko, but also the duties he performed with Kyoko – delivering bento lunches, cleaning the washrooms, wiping the floors, carrying off equipment into the storage rooms. Come to think of it, didn't each duty become easier once he got the hang of it? What was "the hang of it" anyway? It wasn't just his body being sculpted into shape by the hard muscle work, but his spirit of acceptance of those responsibilities, and the tricks he began to capture. For instance, it was a lot easier to keep a cart moving once you've gained momentum. It was easier to push a load up by the end of the handle than holding near the pivot. Hugging something close to you made it easier to lift it up, and applying force through your legs not only prevented injuries to your back, but also gave a lot more power to your upward thrust.

Strength wasn't just what could be applied in battle, in swordplay, but in everyday life. It was the power of your body, the way you carried yourself and your soul.

If there wasn't a landing, then create one! His ki wasn't enough for him to launch himself upward, but was that necessary? Could he reach the ceiling? No, the slowing log wouldn't climb that far. The walls then. The walls of the corridor were close enough together for him to touch both of them at once. The granite was rough, he had enough friction to keep himself suspended.

When the log was about to pause at the end of the trajectory, he jumped, as far back into the corridor as he could, away from the tree trunk so as not to get caught up in its whirling movements. He spread his arms like a hawk, gasping for air, feeling the breath rush up his mouth to the back of his head. He was not falling, plummeting, but flying – he told himself that and reached out to the walls. Quickly, strongly, before gravity could suck him in; he imagined gliding above corn stalks and pulling up vertically. He arched his back, craned his neck, stared up to the limited sky of darkness. His fingers clawed the dust and dug stone; it hurt, but his calluses withstood the scrapes. Forearms bowed like a crouching spider, elbows pulled in towards his ribs, he perched himself between the walls, imitating preying lizards. It was not effortless at all, his weight tugging at him, asking him to let go. But letting go was giving up, and if there were one thing he had been right all along, even before coming to Shinmeiryuu, it was his determination to move forward.

Logically, so long as he kept three points of his body touching the walls, he could support himself, but each time he let go of a handhold, a foothold, he couldn't help but slide a little lower. The jagged rock scratched his palms and the balls of his feet, making gashes that began to bleed. The crimson liquid, stained a coal-tar black in the lack of light, made the surfaces even more slippery. He bit his teeth together, hard, brows furrowed to keep out the pain. Move on, bit by bit, inch by inch, and continue to believe in a miracle ahead.

If he strained his eyes, he could catch just a faint glimmer further down his road. It was not a warm light, but something pale, cold, like a shaft of the moon descending from a crack in this artificial haven. He followed up, edging forward, watching the once transient glimmer pool down like a cascade in slow motion. The blue luminescence slipped its slender fingers around the curves of something metallic, forming a pond on a circular rim on the ground. Ground. For the first time in the past few minutes, he saw it, the shadows of round pebbles on dirt. Coming to the cliff side, he lowered himself, letting his weary feet touch the placid surface.

Finally, he was standing, but something blocked his path. When he came to the bottom of the corridor at this stretch, he could at last make out what was the metal object reflecting the moonlight that streamed from narrow crevices in the ceiling. It was a bell, easily thrice his height, so smooth that it was impossible to climb. The shape was somewhat odd, looking more like a rectangular prism than a parabolic cross-section. The top was not much slimmer than the bottom; there was no way to squeeze through the small gaps on either side.

"Lift this?" he muttered to himself. Even his own voice carried a hint of ridicule. No way. He had to try though, but even as he threw himself on the bell, it didn't bulge.

He couldn't even tip the bell with all his body weight, let alone lift it. There had to be a trick to it, otherwise none of the students would be able to pass this test. But even such a thought didn't ease his impatience; he paced around, trying to find an answer, only to slip on something and fall face first onto the ground.

Something…

"Rope?"

What he slipped on was rope, a very long one that extended from the top of the bell onto many, many loops lying on the floor beside him. Was the rope there for him to pull on it? Must be, but even if he pulled with all his weight, he was sure the bell wouldn't move the slightest bit. There must be some way to utilize the rope, what could it be?

He recalled practising punching – a stronger punch could be delivered if he moved, not just his arm, but his entire body, rotating the shoulders by twisting his abdominal muscles. He was a pivot, his arm a shaft, and by reaching out, he delivered the greatest torque…

Torque…

Rotation…

He looked up desperately to the ceiling, tracing the rope, noticing that it was connected to a wheel on the top. Pulleys. He quickly climbed on the walls as he previously did, up to the top, carrying the rope with him. The line of wheels were enough to create a complex system, but even as he finished threading the rope through each of them, he had his doubts. Could the bell really be lifted by just this? He had heard of the story of Archimedes lifting a warship by pulleys alone, but he had always thought of it as exaggeration.

That was before his training at Chikararyuu though. He had learned that even his meagre strength could be very powerful if he knew how to use it.

Letting go of the wall, he swung down the rope, pulling on it while he dropped. There was a deafening clang as the bell creaked upwards and smashed into the walls, chipping granite along the way. Though he could hardly lift the heavy metal all the way to the top, he opened up a gap on the ground that he could barely fit through.

There was conveniently a hook on the side for him to anchor the rope in place – no, not conveniently, but rather purposefully; he was sure that was how all the previous candidates made it past this obstacle. He tied the rope securely and watched the bell for another minute, making sure it was safe to crawl through. Satisfied, he rolled his body under the bell onto the other side.

The moment he got through, the bell fell with a deafening ring. Kenichi continued rolling forward on the ground, hands clutching his ears as hard as he could to shut out the roaring sound. Impossible! How could the bell have fallen? He was sure he tied it securely, but a glimpse behind him let him see that the rope was severed, pinned now to the ceiling with a kunai.

A kunai?

"Welcome, Kenichi. I am pleased that you've advanced so far…" a familiar voice sounded after the fading vibrations of the bell. Clear and gentle as water, though not without a warning churn like strong undertow running along a river's bedrocks, she spoke to him, half her face hidden by the darkness, the lower half bearing her slim smile exposed to the thin light shining through the crack in the gates behind her.

"Kyo…ko?"

"Yes, I am Haruno Kyoko, Guardian of the Gate of Strength. I have been sent to monitor your progress in secret, and it is of my greatest pleasure to finally meet you here. It is unfortunate, however, that my identity may not be revealed to any members remaining in this house. Therefore, you will defeat me and advance through these doors," her voice tailed off while her slender fingers, like dragon claws, brushed the bronze gap, "Fail and you will be exiled from the Shinmeiryuu."

Her angled eyes shot a brief raven's gaze at Kenichi, hard, cold, narrowed orbs piercing through the ki that whirled around him. He took a deep breath and covered the frightening image with the arc of a crescent moon, the blade that was unsheathed by his hands, slicing through the curtains that lowered upon their battle.

* * *

_The beautiful weavings of blades being wielded, dangerous silver flashes, razor sharp wind slashing granite, chipping stone under the cold gleam of moonlight. Dancers pattered the floor of rotten wood, pivoting and twirling by their toes, landing and clawing onto rare perches of stable ground, pushing against their swords to stay in that shelter of temporary safety. Grinding metal screeched, cutting into his ears; he raised his hands to shield them from the raw noise that made him imagine blood, hot crimson liquid same as that which pounded his arteries. He tried to close his eyes, but it was too mesmerizing…he could not stop gazing at the shadows, beautiful curvatures of steel, blurred hamon of flames and waves clashing, tearing, raining sparks that lighted up the chamber for split seconds. It hurt. His chest hurt like he was stabbed by the intertwined katana. Was he one of the blades?_

Keitaro shot up from his sleep, the white pain vanishing along with the swordplay he had seen. There was nothing in his room other than the low kotatsu beside his futon, its polished surface reflecting the aquamarine luminescence, with his bookshelf's shadow silently sitting across it. It was a quiet night. Not a bird sung, and all he could hear was the ticking of his clock's hands.

_Tick-tock-tick-tock…_

His heart beat with that rhythm, almost as though the powerful muscle was induced by its sound to contract. The thought bothered him, even as he stared up to the ceiling, counting the dots to slow down his running mind. What was that dream? Why did he dream of it? Was it something from his past, something from his future, something he subconsciously reminded himself of? No, probably something random, he tried to convince himself, but it didn't help. The clock ticked again, his heart beating shortly after it, trailing behind like a ghost's haunting steps or some sort of echo. He took a long breath and rose to his feet, stepping out of his room.

The feel of cold air did not calm him, nor did the navy skies studded with twinkling jewels, washed with violet ink flowers called clouds. The clusters seeped like cancer across the dome above, scattered petals flaking off to patter the clearing that was the moon, but such a sight that reminded of sakura bore no scent. He inhaled deeply, wanting to take his mind off the searing memory of his dream, but the plain, tasteless air choked him. He gripped the railing and climbed a staircase up to the roof.

Without his glasses, Hinata was a whirl of colours below, red roofs eroded pink by years of rain, white walls, circular windows framed with dark wood that he couldn't clearly see, only catch the warm, yellow glows coming from lights inside. The river glittered orange under the streetlights lining the dikes on its side, pin-point scarlet flashed atop electrical transmissions towers in the distance, looking more to him like ghostly onibi trying to lead him astray. He leaned against the railing and sighed, wishing that his breath would become wisps of smoke that he could then trail with his eyes out into the open mountains far away. But the weather had warmed since they had their hanami party, so the air he exhaled just laced his lips with heat.

"Seems like I'm not the only one who can't sleep," a voice commented from beside him, shocking him so much that he jumped and nearly fell off the roof if not for his hands that were gripping the railings, hard. The woman beside him chuckled, smiling.

"Naru-san, I did not hear your steps!"

"That's just because your mind wasn't there. Unlike Motoko-chan, I'm not trained in keeping my footsteps silent."

"Of course," Keitaro answered lightly, going over Motoko's dexterous moves in his head. He had trained with her for several days now, and admittedly, there were few people other than her who could walk so steadily that contact with the floor would go unheard – no, even the air around her seemed to go still despite her movements.

"I'm…not honourable like Motoko-chan either," she made another note, and grazed her fingers atop Keitaro's. The man shifted to his side in avoidance, clumsily, and tripped, falling to the ground behind him.

"Are you alright Keitaro!" Naru exclaimed, reaching out for him, but Keitaro squirmed back and hastily rose to his feet.

"I'm fine, thank you," he rapidly spat out the words that almost tied themselves around his tongue, "It'd be more appropriate if we kept the distance. Kenjiro-san would probably prefer it that way as well."

The words struck Naru and she was left speechless. A part of her wanted to continue her pursuit, but guilt took a grip over her, so she too stepped back, leaving a wipe gap between them.

"If you find this more comfortable…then I suppose I'll just have to live with it," she muttered under her breath, hardly audible to Keitaro. Lifting her head and raising her voice, she continued in a more cheerful tone, "Kanrinrin-san, I've been meaning to ask…are you happy now?"

Happy? That question, amongst anything else that Naru could've asked, came as completely unexpected. Keitaro had thought that Naru would press on, blaming him for something he did in the past, for forgetting what exactly he had done, or nailed him to the corner with accusations that he didn't understand a thing, but she didn't. She stepped back, leaving only a hollow, and asked on the other side a question that he should be asking himself.

Was he happy? Considering the situation, considering that he couldn't remember a thing other than tumbling through air and water and darkness and waking up to the scent of bleach and blinding white light, he was not unhappy. The moment he woke up, he had been welcomed by Naru, taken back to Hinata, and nursed to health by the remaining residents. He had found a new life, new responsibilities, new friendships. Besides the block in his mind, he had no difficulties, financially or socially. Nobody forced him to do anything, he had all that he needed, could do anything he so pleased, and he knew, that kind of life was something many people fought with all their years to hold even once. Yet, was that…happiness?

"Before I answer, would you like to enlighten me? What do you think is happiness, Naru-san?"

As though surprise was contagious, Naru stood there, eyes staring but unseeing, lips slightly parted but no words came through. What is happiness? It was something she had once given up, regretted giving up – something she was selfishly trying to wrestle out of others for herself now. But in the end, she had yet to touch it. They were remnants of her distant past, memories of golden sands running softly through her fingers, sakura flying in azure blue skies, and him, Urashima Keitaro, there by her side.

"Gomen, I don't know," Naru answered, then in a whisper, let the wind carry off her last thought, "I haven't been happy for many years."

There was a pause in their conversation, just the rustle of leaves in the mild breeze that passed and disappeared, the landing of a crow upon the railing, leaving a scratching sound as talons gripped metal, then another scratch before it flew off into the distance, following an invisible arc in the violet night. Keitaro's silence seemed to prompt Naru to continue, to explain, and she reluctantly took the lead.

"It was raining, that night when I first met him. Himura Kenjiro, head of the Kamiya Dojo. He was just standing there, a bokken in his hand, staring. I don't know why I remember this, but the rain drops were so fat that night, plopping onto the wooden blade, splashing his hand, scattering. If you look past that forced smile, just watch the water drip down his chin and trace the lines of his pecs, he was almost beautiful – the kind of beauty of a tragic hero.

Maybe it was my own unhappiness that made me attracted to him. I recall having an umbrella in hand, but it wasn't for myself, it was for someone else. But I didn't open the umbrella. It was like…if I opened it, I wouldn't be able to hide my tears in the rain. The rain was cold and hard and it beat me, but the pain was real and solid and I could always tell myself that once the storm was over, everything would be okay. When I looked at him, his dark, marble-like eyes, I found a connection. I knew…he was thinking of the same thing.

You know, Kenjiro liked Motoko-chan. But Motoko-chan didn't choose him, that was why he was standing there. We're so alike in that sense – I wasn't chosen and neither was he. But there are many people in this world who wouldn't be chosen, and who was to say that they didn't deserve happiness? They would walk off and find another happiness that belonged to themselves, right? That was what Kenjiro and I thought. The next time we met, the night was just dark. It was dry, and the moon was visible. Both of us thought the storm was over.

Back then, I really thought I had found happiness with Kenjiro. At first, we met each night and wandered the grounds on the dojo, talking about all the dreams we had of the future, of course, before they were shattered. We always skipped that part, how and why it all cracked and fell apart, only delving on the good, the fantasies. It was like living in an imaginary heaven, no? So long as you don't look at the conclusion, any story can be as beautiful as you'd like. Then we figured, we can make those dreams come true together. We can replace the person we dreamed of, but can never obtain, with each other.

It was a mistake of course. I can't say it's all Kenjiro's fault for putting Motoko's attributes on me, because I too must've forced my wishes upon him. I wanted him to be more humble and gentle and caring and warm. I wanted him to take my hand in a lighter grasp, or just take my hand more often in general; I wanted him to wear out that edge he always carried. He's like a katana, you know? Hard and sharp and never backs down, when he's right or wrong or anything in between. You can say he has a lot of integrity, but it's too much at times; he doesn't listen to anybody. He is the rule of the world. He lives by his own morals, such is the swordsman that I thought I had fallen in love with. Of course, it's not a swordsman that I really loved, it's the slight reflections he bore of another man. He probably loved only vague parts of me as well, Motoko's hard-strong personality and independence? But I must be too weak for him, too much of a burden, too emotional, too wishy-washy.

We were never happy, and I'm so guilty to have passed that onto Yuri. She's only a child. She isn't to blame for all this. I want her happy, and Kenjiro probably does too. We've tried going out on trips to the mountain and all that stuff that parents do with their kids, you know, but some little thing would come up and Kenjiro and I would break out into an argument. It always ends like that. Finally, there was one time when Yuri just said, 'Okaasan, let's not go out on trips anymore.' You know how I felt at that time? It was like…getting run over by a train. I'm such a failure as a mother, as a human being. Just a total failure. Yuri is happier with Shinji-san. She's happier even when she's just wiping the floors and cooking for us! Your own five-year-old cooking for you and feeling enjoyment from that? It…hurt…

...that's why…Kenjiro and I keep thinking Yuri is our mistake. It's not her fault, it's ours. We're failures, and somehow, we have to live with it. We had to walk away from her and leave her alone, because the closer we pushed ourselves, the worse it rebounded – the more we hurt her. Even without Shinji-san confronting us with the problem, Kenjiro and I knew we had to do something about this. Kenjiro was an honourable man, and I respected him for that, trying to be just as honourable. It was part of our dreams, you know? But after everything that had happened, we lost that part of us that we valued so much. But we decided it didn't matter anymore. For ourselves and for Yuri's sake, we had to get this over and done with. That was why we decided to come to Hinata. The sakabatou is a symbol of Kenjiro's past. He came to either claim it, or give it up, once and for all.

If we can both try our hardest to claim the happiness we dreamt of, getting scarred and burned along the way so that it hurts so much that all imaginary happiness would dissipate, perhaps we can move on, you know? Perhaps we can move on and live for a future belonging to us?

If you ask me what is happiness, all I can say is…it's something I'm wishing for? I asked you the question with the intention of finding out from you, Keitaro. To me, you've…always been happiness itself."

He is happiness.

That statement…it made the world whirl about him.

Was that his importance to Naru? To everyone? To himself?

But what he really wanted to say, what he didn't dare say, was that happiness didn't matter to him anymore. Happiness was a by-product of life, was it not? There was no point striving for it. What he had to strive for was the strength to reconstruct himself.

He was losing that strength. He had been trying hard, but each step he took seemed to be cutting into the path of others, others like Naru and Motoko who clearly loved him dearly. He was walking tangent to their wishes, ignoring their hopes, savagely breaking them down. Naru's gaze, liquid whirling in her eyes, her bitter smile, trembling lips…they all made his heart clench tight…

...was his decision correct?

The promise he made in the past, did it really not matter anymore?

Should he just bring up the courage to ask Naru…what really happened back then? Knowing that if he had the answer, he'd have to live with it. He'd have to take responsibility and give up on a reconstruction. Instead, he'd have to warp himself to the old Urashima Keitaro, the one living in everyone's memories.

He took a step forward, unaware of Motoko's waiting eyes below.

* * *

**Seigetsu Ren: **Thanks for reading. As a token of gratitude towards the continued support, I've tried to make this chapter a little longer and end with some food for thought. Also, if you don't really get the beginning of Naru's monologue, please refer back to "Another Promise". Hope you liked it. Before we end, here are several announcements:

If you've read my other stories, please vote in a poll as to whether you'd like some of them revised or deleted. I don't want to leave them here, polluting FFN, in their current states, so those two are the options. If you're in favour of revisions, it's be really awesome if you'd like to help out with beta-ing as well. It'd be much appreciated!

Do you write original fiction? Want to share and discuss plot construction and writing mechanics? Feel free to email me excerpts of your work. I'm also looking for some feedback on my own writing.

And please do review. This chapter has sucked out my writing energy and I need to re-energize by eating reviews. Concrit is most lovely, but even just notes saying you've read this would make me very happy. Till next time!


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